Uh Oh: The Sequel
by Sweet Ninetails
Summary: After six years, Deeanna has decided to come back to her friends. Final Chapter: miracles, tears, surprises and endings. An unexpected return will occur. Please read and review, and never fear, while this story may be over, there will be others to follow!
1. Happy Birthday

Here it is. The sequel to Uh Oh! This is just the intro. It's short and sweet (just like me)  
I want reviews, people, before you get anything else out of me ^_^  
Disclaimer: Um, let's see...I don't own or have anything to do with Digimon.  
"It's been a long time, hasn't it."  
  
These words were spoken by a tall young woman. Her auburn hair grew to her shoulders, held back by a wide headband. Her eyes were brown and sparkly, and full of mischief, like her smile. She wore a short black skirt, a white blouse, and black strappy sandels. She spoke to the small blue creature on her desk, who was industriously applying himself to wolfing down a piece of cake.  
  
"You bet, Deeanna!" it answered, licking icing off its paws. It spat out a candle."Happy Birthday."  
  
Deeanna laughed.  
  
"DemiVeemon, at least you waited until I blew the candles out, you little bottomless pit!" she teased.  
  
"And your point is?" DemiVeemon asked, before attacking the rest of the cake on his plate.  
  
Deeanna just sighed in mock exasperation, and turned back to her bed. Her travel bag lay open, half filled. She folded her clothing, and placed it inside.  
  
"Are you done yet?" DemiVeemon asked, hopping onto the bed. Deeanna caught him by the scruff of his neck before he could get gooey icing all over her clothes.  
  
"I will be soon, but first, you need a bath." she replied, carrying him into the bathroom. DemiVeemon protested loudly.  
  
The lone candle on what was left of the cake still trailed smoke from where it was imbedded...in a pink icinged 18. 


	2. A Broken Heart

Okay, here's part the next chapter. As you can tell, there's a certain character I dislike, as she gets in the way of my plot line, so don't comment on her behaviour if you don't care for what I've written.  
Disclaimer: Digimon isn't mine. I haven't an icicle's chance in hell of owning it, either.  
Deeanna breathed in deeply. It had been so long since she'd been to the digital world, and now here she was. She hoped that she would find her friends here today. She really wanted to see them...  
  
"...And get this over with..." she whispered softly to herself. Veemon looked up at her in worry.  
  
"Are you feeling okay?" he inquired, worriedly.  
  
"I'm fine..." Deeanna replied, looking away. She shifted her bag to her other shoulder."Come on, let's go."  
  
"Why should you walk, Deeanna." Veemon said, and in one fluid motion, he was Raidramon."I'll save you the trouble."  
  
"Raidramon, you are so good to me." Deeanna said in a voice that was only for her partner digimon. She slid onto his back, and off they went.  
"That's the last time we go picnicking at the beach!" Ken yelled to Yolei and Cody, holding onto dear life to the branches of a tree that lined the beach. Below them was a Scorpiomon, whom they'd disturbed. It was in an irritable rage, and was trying to shake them from the tree. T.K and Kari were in the next tree over.  
  
"Patamon, do something!" T.K said to his digimon partner.  
  
"I wish I could!" Patamon nursing a slash on his side."I can't digivolve like this, and certainly not up a tree!"  
  
Suddenly, a streak of blue lightning raged from somewhere off in the forest, and hit Scorpiomon, driving it off.  
  
"Ya! Get outta here!" a feminine voice shouted.  
  
Ken looked around for the source of the voice. It sounded so familiar...Just at that moment, a digimon that they hadn't seen in a long time emerged from the forest, and skidded to a stop on the sand: Raidramon! And on his back was a very pretty young lady.  
  
"Deenna??" Ken asked incredulously. The girl looked up at him from her slanted, chocolate-drop eyes.  
"So, Deenna, how have you been?" Ken asked, hesitently. They were all sitting on the beach. Deenna looked neither left nor right, but out to sea, knees drawn up, chin resting on her folded arms. Ken noticed that her eyes looked misty and sad.  
  
"I've been...okay..." she said quietly.  
  
"Oh, Deeanna, you've been gone so long!" Kari said."Stand up, let me get a look at you."  
  
Deeanna obligingly stood. She was a very slender young lady. The sun shone on her lovely, short auburn hair, and sparkled in her eyes, her sad, sad eyes. Her new digital clothes were a short denim skirt, a white crop-top, a blue vest, and her steel-tipped hiking boots. Around her neck...the golden chain and ring, which Ken had given her, dangled.  
  
"I suppose while you were away you've found a boyfriend." Yolei said snidely.  
  
Deeanna looked shocked and angry.  
  
"Of course I haven't!" she said."What is with you, Yolei, did you eat some bad digi-berries?"  
  
"She's jealous of you and Ken." Kari murmered in her ear."She's really changed..."  
  
Deeanna suddenly gasped, slightly, and grasped her right wrist tightly.  
  
"What's wrong?" Ken asked, concerned. Deeanna gave him a smile smile.  
  
"Nothing. I'm fine." she said, waving it off airily.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Of course." Deeanna laughed."Growing pain!"  
  
They seemed to accept that. They sat and talked for a little while longer, while their digimon burrowed contentedly in the sand.  
  
"Oh!" Deeanna said suddenly, burrowing in her bag. She came out with a small box, and gave it to Ken."I knew I was forgeting something! I made this for you a few years ago, but didn't trust the postal service not to break it."  
  
Ken opened the box. Inside was a small chibi-version of himself holding a soccer ball, grinning merrily.  
  
"It was an art project in school." Deeanna explained, blushing.  
  
"I love it." he told her sincerily.  
  
"It's cute." Kari said, smiling. She looked at her watch."Whoah! It's 4:30 already?! We promised to meet the others half an hour ago!"  
  
Everyone jumped to their feet. Ken took Deeanna's hand, and pulled her along.  
  
"Come on, Deeanna," he said to her."The older guys are going to go nuts when they see you!"  
  
Deeanna hesitated a bit, but Ken didn't notice.  
"Where are they?" an older Tai muttered, pacing."They're late!"  
  
They were in the park, waiting for the younger (but not-so-young) digidestined.  
  
"Hm, here they come!" Matt observed.  
  
"Who's that with them?" Sora asked.  
  
"She's cute." Tai said.  
  
"Hey!" T.K yelled, waving as he ran up to them."Guess who's back?"  
  
The girl tackled Tai, knocking him down. She sat on his chest.  
  
"Hi!" she said cheerfully, grinning at him in such a way that they all knew who she was in an instant.  
  
"Deeanna!" they all laughed. Deeanna was the recipiant of many hugs, kisses, and questions that it made her head reel.  
  
"I'm glad to see all of you, too!" she laughed with her old 'Davisness'.  
  
"Well, i gotta go!" Yolei announced suddenlt. She turned to Ken, grabbed him, and planted a long, hard kiss on his lips, to the shock of everyone. She knocked the chibi-Ken from his hand, and it shattered on the ground. He broke away, disgusted, but not before he'd seen the shocked, horrified, and betrayed look on Deeanna's face.  
  
"Deeanna, I-!" he said, struggling away from Yolei. Deeanna didn't spare him another glance. She dropped her bag, turned, and ran. 


	3. Telling the Truth

"Deeanna!" Ken yelled, desperately. He ran after her. Everyone else, including DemiVeemon, just looked at each other in horror. In a matter of seconds, Yolei had destroyed a relationship that had taken years of careful communication and love to cultivate.  
Deeanna ran as fast as her legs would go, her vision blurred by her tears. How could he?! She wanted to yell and scream and hit something or someone. She wanted to tear Yolei's hair out by the roots. She wanted to cry. She wanted to lay down and die...  
  
Her sharp hearing told her that Ken was indeed running after her.  
  
*Let him run!* she thought, struggling to control her sobs.  
  
"Deanna!" Ken called.  
  
"Leave me alone!" Deeanna yelled over her shoulder.  
  
Crying and running weren't two things that went together well, and Deeanna slowed down gradually, until she was doing no more than very fast walking. Ken caught up, and wrapped his arms around her gently from behind. Deeanna struggled half heartedly as she cried. Ken turned her around, and held her firmly.  
  
"Go away!" Deeanna sobbed, trying to punch him."I hate you-! I-I-I ha-hate-!"  
  
"Shh shh shh," Ken murmered."calm down."  
  
Slowly, Deeanna quieted, sobbing aloud now and then. She muttered softly to herself. Ken caught the words "Cheating", "Hussy", "Hate you", and "Liar".  
  
"Now, Deeanna," Ken said, leading her over to the shde of a tree."we're going to sit down, and we're going to talk about this."  
  
Deeanna sat down, still sniffling. Her eyes were red, and her face puffy.  
  
"Deeanna, I have NOT been cheating on you." Ken said. Deeanna glared fiercely at him."No, it's true," he insisted."All these years, I've been waiting for you. I've never even looked at another girl. Yolei is just a jealous...hussy, as you call her." he laughed softly.  
  
"Then why'd you let her kiss you?" Deeanna demanded.  
  
"Well, she took me by surprise." Ken explained."I didn't really know what to do. And, I did pull away."  
  
"And you broke Ch-ch-!" Deeanna said, her eyes tearing up again. Ken gathered her into a hug.  
  
"I'm so sorry that happened, Deeanna. It was an accident. I wish I'd had a better grip on it. I wish it hadn't happened at all. I think that Yolei was trying to make you angry by kissing me in front of you."  
  
"Well I think it worked!" Deeanna said, screwing up her face against a fresh set of tears."I hate these female emotions! I cry too much!"  
  
"Oh, Deeanna..." Ken said, cuddling her close.  
A small clinking sound made Izzy look up from the picnic table where he was sitting, head in hands, pondering the strange situation. DemiVeemon had deposited all the broken pieces of chibi-Ken on the table.  
  
"I picked them all up, Izzy." he said."Can you put them back together?"  
  
"I can try." Izzy said."In fact, I think I can, and I will. It'll make Deeanna happy again, I bet."  
  
He scooped the pieces up and into a bag.  
  
"Come on, you," he said to the small blue digimon."you know exactly how it should look, so why don't you tag along with me and see that I put it back together right, okay?"  
  
"Kay!" DemiVeemon chirped, hopping onto Izzy's hand, scrambling up his arm, and sitting on his shoulder.  
  
"Hey," Izzy called to the others."I'm taking DemiVeemon with me tonight, so if you see her, tell Deeanna not to worry."  
  
"Will do." Joe said.  
Ken stood up. Deeanna looked at him questioningly.  
  
"I'm going back to get your bag, and tell the others that you're okay." he explained."I imagine they're really worried about you."  
  
"I'll bet they are." Deeanna said softly. Even softer,"they'd be even more worried if..."  
  
"If what?" Ken asked, overhearing that last bit.  
  
"Did I say something?" Deeanna asked, turning a blank stare on Ken.  
  
"I...thought you did. Never mind." Ken said, shaking his head. He could have sworn that she'd said something...  
Deeanna watched Ken jog away. She really wished she could have told him the truth, she really did. But, she was having conflicting thoughts. This was why she had come back, yes, but how to say the words? She couldn't just yet. There'd been enough upsets for that evening, already. Now just wasn't the time.  
"Is Deeanna alright?" was the general question directed at Ken when he reached the others.  
  
"She's okay...for now." he replied, an edge to his voice."She was devastated."  
  
"I could imagine that." Matt said.  
  
"I don't want anything to do with Yolei anymore." Ken said bluntly."She's nothing but a pain."  
  
The others nodded understandingly. Ken picked up Deeanna's bag, then looked around for DemiVeemon.  
  
"Where's the little blue bottomless pit?" he inquired.  
  
"Went with Izzy for the evening." Tai said."Izzy said not to worry about DemiVeemon."  
  
"Okay, I'll tell Deeanna that." Ken nodded."Thanks. Good night."  
  
"G'night, Ken."  
Ken took the still unhappy Deeanna back to his new apartment.  
  
"You can have the bed, Deeanna." Ken said."I'll sleep on the floor."  
  
"No, I'll sleep on the floor. You take the bed." Deeanna countered.  
  
"No, you-"  
  
"You-"  
  
"Fine," Ken snarled, raising his hand. Deeanna raised hers."Rock, paper, scisors!"  
  
Best two out of three, Deeanna won. She grinned triumphantly.  
  
"Why on earth do you want to sleep on the floor, anyway?" Ken asked, disgruntled.  
  
"Because it reminds me of when I was a kid." Deeanna replied, blushing slightly."You know..."  
  
Ken did know. That one night, six years ago...  
  
Deeanna peeked into the bedroom.  
  
"Why argue about it, though, there's a double bed." she observed.  
  
"Ah, well, I, uh..." Ken said, flustered."It just doesn't feel right, you know..."  
  
Deeanna cocked her head at him.  
  
"Oh, come now, Ken." she said."I'm, not gonna seduce you or anything, geez...it's just better that we both sleep on the bed, that way it's fair, you see."  
  
"Ahh." Ken said."Um, since it's dinner time, and, um, I really don't feel like cooking tonight," his tone was appologetic."why don't we order in?"  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
After a dinner of take-out chinese food (which involved a playful fight between the two of them after Deeanna found it amusing to flick rice at Ken), they settled into bed. That was akward enough as it was. Even Deeanna's old t-shirt and trackpants caused Ken to blush. Deeanna ignored his blushed, curled up, and fell asleep. Ken lay awake for a long time, watching Deeanna sleep. He'd truely missed her.  
In the early hours of the morning, Deeanna began to whimper. The sound was so soft that it didn't bother Ken. Soon, Deeanna was moaning in her sleep, tossing lightly, clutching at the sheets. Ken stired slightly, waking very slowly. A scream of soul shredding pain made his eyes fly open. He fell out of bed. Had he imagined the scream? No. Deeanna was crying. He got up off the floor, and crawled across the bed to her. She was doubled up, and rocking slightly, as if trying to ease a sharp pain. What scared Ken worse than this was the fact that her body was...fuzzing up, like a digimon that was badly hurt. Like fragmenting data. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently. The fragmenting stopped.  
  
"Deeanna!" he cried."What's wrong? What's happening to you?"  
  
Deeanna continued to rock, eyes screwed closed, biting her lip in an attempt to muffle her whimpering.  
  
"Please, you have to tell me." Ken urged."You're in pain, Deeanna, and I need to know why. How can I help you?"  
  
"You...can't." Deeanna said in a small voice.  
  
Ken would never forget the words she spoke next.  
  
"I'm dying." 


	4. A shock

Ok, since sooooooooooooo many of you (that was slightly sarcastic, sorry) have reviewed the story, here's the next chapter. But, *sternly* I want another 10 reviews before you get the next bit, which isn't too much to ask. This, by the way, is a test disclaimer (see if my sister's computer will refrain from doing the things the one at the library does) (and if it does fix the problem, I'll fix up the previous chapters)  
Disclaimer: La, I don't own Digimon!  
Ken went completely pale.  
  
"You're...what?"  
  
"You heard me, Ken."  
  
"But how-?"  
  
"Do you remember how ShadowMyotismon stabbed my shoulder, just before he...died, himself?"  
  
"Yes, but-"  
  
"That was so he'd...live on. His poisonous data has been inside me all this time, killing me. It's his way of exacting revenge, Ken. I won't live for more than another month, at the most."  
  
"You're not serious, are you?" Ken asked, refusing to face the truth. There had to be some mistake. Deeanna couldn't die, she just couldn't. No, she wasn't. He had heard wrong, that's it, he had. He-  
  
"Ken!"  
  
Ken stopped, and looked down at Deeanna.  
  
"Ken, I would never lie to you, you know that." Deeanna said. She took a deep breath, and that seemed to help, for she uncurled a little, and rolled onto her back."I-I've wanted to tell you, Ken, honestly I have. But how could I? I love you, but I didn't want to hurt you." she sucked in a quick breath, and returned to her doubled up position.  
  
"What is it?!" Ken asked, alarmed.  
  
"It...hurts..." Deeanna whimpered, trying hard not to cry. She didn't want to seem like a whimp to Ken, but it was hard to resist the stinging, aching snsation in her eyes and throat, as salty tears ran down her face, caused by the horrible feeling of being torn appart.  
  
"Should I call Joe? He might be able to help."  
  
"No, please don't, it'll pass." Deeanna begged."I don't want to involve the others just yet. Especially if Yolei were to find out. I'd die of shame before the virus killed me!"  
  
"Don't worry, Deeanna," Ken soothed."I won't let Yolei find out. But, we have to tell the others, anyway. You know that."  
  
"Of course I do, Ken. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. Please don't tell anyone just yet."  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Please?" Deeanna begged, her eyes big and round like a puppy's. Ken gave in.  
  
"Alright, I won't say a thing. Yet. Go on back to sleep, okay?" Ken said. He tucked Deeanna back in gently, then leaned down, and kissed her softly on the brow. Deeanna smiled at him drowsily, and for a minute, Ken saw the old Davis smiling through Deeanna's eyes.  
  
"I love you."  
  
I love you, too."  
Deeanna woke to the sounds of hushed conversation from the other room. Probably just the t.v, she decided, smiling because she knew the genius she loved enjoyed saturday morning cartoons. Pulling herself out of bed, she walked out of the bedroom, down the hall, and into the living room. Her eyes darkened when she saw the other digidestined, minus Yolei.  
  
"Ken!" she cried, angrily."You told!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Deeanna." Ken shrugged helplessly."I accidentally let it slip-" Deeanna snorted."No, really, when Izzy and DemiVeemon came over this morning, and Izzy insisted on telling the others."  
  
Deeanna frowned. She caught sight of the Chibi-Ken, glued back together and looking crackly. Her expression softened.  
  
"I don't know whether I should thank you, Izzy," she said."Or strangle you."  
  
Tai stood up, and put his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"You should have told us, Deeanna." he said."We would have understood."  
  
"I just couldn't tell you." Deeanna replied, shaking her head. She sank down on the couch, head in hands."I didn't even know myself until last year, the virus was dormant for so long. I didn't know how to tell you. Phone you up, and say 'Hi, how are you? By the way, I'm being killed by a digital virus'?!"  
  
"We could have helped-" Joe said.  
  
"No!" Deeanna yelled, standing."Don't you understand?! You can't, and never could have, helped! There's no cure, nothing anyone could have done! Genai said so! I know so!"  
  
Her eyes snapped with a burning fury, reminding them strongly of Davis when he'd stared down MaloMyotismon. Only this time, the fury was directed at them.  
  
"You can't just say you'll fix things..." Deeanna said in a much softer voice."because sometimes you just can't." she turned away. They couldn't see the expression on her face, but they could see her clenched and shaking fists.  
  
"Deeanna..." Matt said. Deeanna rubbed her arm across her eyes, then turned around.  
  
"I'm ok. I've had a good life, even if it was short." she said."Though I sometimes think it's kinda unfair."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Damn it, Deeanna!" Ken finally yelled."Of course it's unfair! You're only 18, and you're dying!"  
  
"So what if I am?" Deeanna countered."Who cares? I have no family who do!"  
  
"What about-"  
  
"June?" Deeanna's laugh was hollow."She stopped talking to me years ago."  
  
"We care." Sora said."We do. We're like a family. It won't be the same with out you."  
  
"I-" Deeanna stopped, biting her lip as she was gripped by pain once more. Ken put his arms around her in an attempt to ease her pain. The others were subjected to the same terrifying experience as Ken had been the previous night.  
  
"I wish...you hadn't seen that." Deeanna said afterwards.  
  
"Do these...attacks...happen often?" Izzy asked.  
  
"No." Deeanna shook her head."But they do if I get worked up."  
  
"Another reason to keep Yolei away from you." Ken said. Deeanna's lips quirked into a tiny smile.  
  
"Thanks." 


	5. Having fun

Welllllll, I'm sorely disapointed with the reviews, so.......I've decided that you may have this chapter now, because I'm so nice ^_^ but please, pleasey-weasey-wease, I'd really appreciate some more reviews...^_^;  
  
P.s: I have fixed the problem I was having before, so yea, I can put disclaimers backon! Yay for dislaimers, whoo!  
  
Dislaimer: digimon is not mine, I just humbly write stories about it, and beg for forgiveness if I do wrong ^_^;  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You're welcome." Ken smiled, then paused."Now what?"  
  
Deeanna sighed wearily, and they could now see how much worry, and stress, had aged their young companion. Pale, with small fine lines, and her sad eyes. So unlike the person she used to be, yet still the same, forced into maturity before her time.  
  
"Well, Genai's best advice for this situation was to stay happy, 'cause the virus feeds off negative feelings, and enjoy my remaining time. Which," Deeanna added, fixing each of them with a severe look."I plan on doing."  
  
Ken put his hands up in a defensive position.  
  
"I'll respect that." he said."Not that I could stop you if I tried..."  
  
Deeanna snuggled up to him, and he put his arms around her.  
  
"Of course not." she replied."You know me too well."  
  
Everyone relaxed a little, and laughed softly.  
  
"Ok then, we'll make sure you have a good time." Tai promised."What do you want to do first?"  
  
"Eat."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I haven't had any breakfast yet." Deeanna answered, her tummy growling loudly. Everyone face faulted.  
  
It was after breakfast. The others said they'd wait while she got dressed. Deeanna was going to make them wait a bit longer. She wanted a shower first.  
  
"Mmmmmmmm..." Deeanna murmered, letting the hot water run down her back, over scars long faded into mere shadows. The heat felt good on them. She stood under the running water, and let it pound into her, carrying away her current worries. A few minutes later, she stepped out of the shower, and turned the water off. She ruffled her hair with a towel, then ran her fingers through it as it quickly dried. Walking back into the bedroom, she slipped on a pair of khaki shorts, a white t-shirt, and a blue vest. She slipped the chain and ring back on. The door opened a crack, and Deeanna turned with a gasp. DemiVeemon squeezed through.  
  
"Don't scare me like that." she scolded.  
  
"Sorry." the little blue digimon said."They want to know what's keeping you, and are you getting ready for a beauty pagent?"  
  
Deeanna laughed.  
  
"I just don't want to leave smelling like sweat, that's all." she replied, applying a smidge of powder and some lip gloss."Ok, I'm ready."  
  
She scooped up her digimon partner, grabbed her purse from her bag, and sauntered down the hall.  
  
The others seemed impatient, but when she walked into the living room, smiling, they relaxed.  
  
"You look so much better." Sora said softly. Deeanna's lips twitched.  
  
"I feel sorta better, too." she said. She shifted from one foot to the other."Can we go now? Please?" she added, giving her best puppy-eyes.  
  
"I can't resist those eyes!" Ken said."Let's go."  
  
A pair of beady red eyes stared out of the darkness, glaring at the computer monitor it watched.  
  
"You survived..." it hissed."while my Master did not. I'll finish the job. See if I don't..."  
  
They were walking down the street, Ken with his arm around Deeanna's waist protectingly, when Deeanna suddenly stopped. A shiver ran down her spine.  
  
"What's wrong?" Ken asked, concerned.  
  
"Uh, n-nothing." Deeanna stammered."I just got a...chill, that's all..."  
  
Ken looked at her, searchingly. Deeanna put on her best 'Davis' grin.  
  
"It was nothing, I bet." she said. Ken gave her one last look.  
  
"If you think so..."  
  
Deeanna nodded. She hated lying to Ken, but she didn't need him worrying. The last time they'd ignored a bad feeling she'd gotten, well...this happened. For now, she would keep it to herself until she knew what it was.  
  
Ken mused to himself. He knew Deeanna wasn't being truthful with him. He hadn't questioned her further, in case it upset her. He remembered the last time they'd ignored one of her bad feelings...He'd let the matter rest, for now...  
  
"Hey, Ken!" Kari called, interupting both Deeanna's and Ken's thoughts."Can Sora, Mimi, and I borrow Deeanna for awhile?"  
  
"Why?" Deeanna asked suspiciously. All three girls had 'that look' on their faces.  
  
"Oh, you know." Mimi said with a wave of her hand."To do girly stuff."  
  
Deeanna took a step back. The girls took a step towards her.  
  
"Um, I dunno, uh-" Deeanna gulped, prepared to run for her life. The other girls were quicker. One minute Deeanna was standing beside Ken, the next...she was being dragged towards a shopping mall.  
  
"Nooooooooooooooooooooo!" Deeanna wailed comically, while the boys stood and stared, with larged sweatdrops hanging off of their faces.  
  
"Mall trip!" Sora, Mimi, and Kari chorused together, uttering the words a guy (or former guy...) never wants to hear.  
  
Deeanna slouched on a bench, arms crossed, glaring angrily.  
  
"Don't be silly, Deeanna!" Kari laughed."You're a girl, and you do seem to dress with style, so what's up with the pout?"  
  
"Just because I'm a girl," Deeanna ground out."doe NOT mean I like shopping. I do it out of necessity. As for dressing with style, Ken's aunt helped me out on that score. I hate the passive-girley stuff. Remember, I'm still Davis. Show me a sports store, and I'm there!"  
  
"Then what's with the make-up?" Mimi demanded.  
  
"I don't like to use it, but it makes me look a little more natural instead of the undead." Deeanna snorted irritably. She really wanted to be back with Ken at that particular moment.  
  
Sora, Mimi, and Kari looked at each other, then back at Deeanna. They had the absolute most evil expressions on their faces.  
  
"Well, you're here now..." Sora grinned wickedly.  
  
"And completely at out mercy..." Mimi continued.  
  
"So behave." Kari finished.  
  
All three loomed up mock-menacingly. Deeanna scrunched down, horrified and sweating bullets, as the three girls reached out to drag her to her doom... 


	6. Ken makes his move

"Nooooooooooooooooooooo!" Deeanna wailed comically, while the boys stood and stared, with large sweatdrops hanging off of their faces.  
  
"Mall trip!" Sora, Mimi, and Kari chorused together, uttering the words a guy (or former guy...) never wants to hear.  
  
"Will she be ok with them?" Ken asked worriedly.  
  
"She should be." Matt said, though he sounded like he really didn't believe it."I mean, she WAS Davis, right?"  
  
"Did Davis ever stand up to one of them?" Tai asked skeptically.  
  
"Nope." Izzy said."If I recall correctly, he was a sucker for pretty girls."  
  
Ken had been quiet through the other's conversation. He'd been thinking, a slight frown on his face.  
  
"Hey," he said finally, getting their attention."I have a couple of favors to ask..."  
  
"Sure, anything, Ken." Izzy said.  
  
"Ok, it's like this..."  
  
Deeanna collapsed exaustedly onto a bench. Honestly, these girls were tiring her out. They'd dragged her around the entire mall, intent on spending girly time with her. And worst of all, Deeanna realised with growing horror, she was actually starting to like it. At least, she no longer resented being dragged around by the girls. Though, she longed to be back with Ken...  
  
Deeanna absently looked around the section of mall she was sitting in. She caught sight of a store display window, and her breath caught in her throat. She looked quickly at the other girls, but they weren't paying attention, so she slipped away. Standing in front of the window, she gazed at the dresses inside.  
  
What had attracted her was the sparkle of a stunning creation of sapphire blue and silver satin. Upon closer inspection, it was floor length, sleeveless, and extremely low cut. Deeanna imagined herself wearing it, and her eyes bugged out at the thought. She shook herself, surprised at the surge of feminine emotions. She actually wanted to dress shop...  
  
"There you are!" Sora said, walking up behind Deeanna.  
  
"Sora?" Deeanna asked."Could we go in here, please?"  
  
An hour later, the boys were all waiting. Ken was sitting rigidly on a park bench, Tai draped loosely over the back, Matt relaxed beside Ken. Izzy and Joe leaned against a nearby tree, and Cody sat with T.K on the ground beside the bench. All were eating popsicles, as it was a long, hot wait for the mall-crazed girls.  
  
"Where could she be?" Ken muttered.  
  
"Ken, they're...girls." Tai said, rolling his eyes."And with Mimi along...well, we could be sitting here all day."  
  
"Oh ha-ha, very funny!"  
  
The boys all looked up and their jaws dropped. Deeanna was standing in front of them, hands on hips. But she wasn't wearing the outfit she'd put on that morning. No, she was wearing a dress. A dark blue sundress, down to her knees, with tiny gold flowers scattered over it. She was also wearing matching sandels and new hair clips. Ken forcefully pushed his jaw shut.  
  
"Deeanna-" he managed to say."you look-"  
  
"Like a girl!" Tai howled. Deeanna mashed her fist to the top of his head. [A/N: I am SO going to draw a pic of that!]  
  
"I AM a girl!" she snapped, annoyed.  
  
"I just meant-"  
  
*bash*  
  
"You just-"  
  
*BASH*  
  
The other Digidestined watched this for a few moments, as Tai dug himself into deeper and deeper pits. When they had figured that Tai was halfway to Europe, Ken decided to intervene.  
  
"Ok, I think that's enough." he said, gathering Deeanna into his arms."We don't want him to get brain damage, do we?"  
  
Tai was standing, bent over from all of Deeanna's blows. A stiff breeze blew by, and he toppled over. Giggling, he tried to catch the birdies twittering around his head.  
  
"Too late." Deeanna said.  
  
A few minutes later, Tai had regained his senses.  
  
"Where'd you learn to hit like that?" he asked, holding his aching head.  
  
"Oh, uh, let's see...I took some classes and stuff at the community center back in the 'States." Deeanna replied. She danced from one foot to the other while shadow boxing for a minute. Everyone laughed."I had to quit after awhile. You know, because of the virus...but I picked up some neat skills just the same."  
  
"Yeah, I bet." Tai grumbled, rubbing the large bump on his head.  
  
"Don't look at me that way," Deeanna huffed, crossing her arms."you were asking for it."  
  
"How was I asking for it?!"  
  
This started a full fledged bickering match between the two old friends. The others watched, half-amused, half-worried.  
  
"Last time I checked, I did not ask you 'hit me repeatedly, Deeanna'!"  
  
"Dude!" Deeanna yelled."Then why'd you keep bugging me like you did?!"  
  
Tai was about to reply when Deeanna stiffened and went pale.  
  
"I-I think we should stop." she said. A trickle of sweat ran down her face. Ken grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a shake.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
"I just got a twinge, that's all." Deeanna answered."I'll be ok." she saw Ken's disbelieving look."No, really, I'll be fine."  
  
"If you say so."  
  
As it turned out, all Deeanna felt like doing that afternoon was sitting down and talking. They sat down under a large shadey tree.  
  
"So, tell me...how have you all been?" she asked."What have you all been doing?"  
  
As she listened to each of her friends sharing with her their experiences, their future plans, and small bits of gossip they thought she might like, Deeanna smiled. She had missed them so much. But it made her sad to know she had missed so much.  
  
Tai was studying diplomacy, hoping to promote good relations between the Digital and real worlds, and he was considering getting a haircut (finally). He still played a mean game of soccer.  
  
Matt was still playing with the Teenage Wolves, but he was also considering studying to become an astronaut. That one had surprised Deeanna no end. As well as the fact that Matt didn't use as much hair gel as he used to, and that he HAD cut his hair.  
  
Sora still played tennis, and worked in her mother's flower shop, but she also wanted to be a fashion designer. Quite proudly, Sora admitted that she had designed, and sewed the outfit she was wearing, herself.  
  
Izzy was still burrying himself in anything and everything having to do with computers and computer programing. This did not come as a shock to Deeanna.  
  
Joe was starting his pre-med courses, and was at the top of his classes. This also didn't come as a shock to Deeanna.  
  
Mimi was taking cooking courses. Deeanna blanched, wondering if Mimi was anything like her mother. Mimi also had a new hat. Personally, Deeanna thought it made her look like a cow-girl.  
  
T.K. was on the school basketball team, and was excelling at any sport played in P.E. He was getting top grades in english. He confessed that he wanted to be a writer. Deeanna grinned, and told him she thought he would be a great writer.  
  
Kari was a cheerleader at school. She and T.K dated casually, but were still deciding whether or not they should date more seriously. She had several jobs babysitting young children, and still wanted to become a kidnergarten teacher.  
  
Cody still took kendo lessons, and was one of the best in his age groups. He shared with Deeanna that he wanted to become a lawyer. Deeanna smiled, and said that a lawyer was a good thing...as long as he was on your side. Everyone laughed.  
  
Deeana turned to Ken. He looked down at his hands, suddenly bashful. Deeanna poked him.  
  
"Come on now, tell." she said.  
  
"I-I-I" Ken stuttered."I want to be...a detective."  
  
"Oh?" Deeanna inquired."What spurred that on?"  
  
"It was when Owikawa kidnapped me and all those little kids...I can only imagine what their parents were thinking when the kids went missing. I want to help people like that."  
  
"Awww. That's so sweet, Ken." Deeanna said, leaning her head on his shoulder. Ken blushed, his cheeks becoming bright pink.  
  
"What about you, Deeanna?" Matt asked.  
  
"Yeah, what have you been doing all these years?" Sora asked.  
  
It was Deeanna's turn to be bashful.  
  
"Come on," the others prompted."we told you, so spill."  
  
"Fine." Deeanna sighed."When I first moved to America, I was anti-social and didn't speak to anyone. I started babysitting and teaching young kids to play soccer at the community center to put a few sheckles in my pocket, and to meet new peopele. I found out about the virus, and gave up my plans for the noodle cart. That's about all."  
  
"You...gave up your dream?" Ken asked, shocked.  
  
"Not my dream." Deeanna shook her head."Davis' dream. I'm still clinging to my dream, however slim it is."  
  
"Aww, Deeanna..." Kari said with sympathy.  
  
"What's your dream?" Ken asked warmly, slipping an arm around Deeanna's shoulders. The teen put one finger to her lips.  
  
"My secret...for now." she said."I'll tell you sometime, Ken."  
  
After awhile, the other Digidestined had to go home. That left Ken and Deeanna alone.  
  
They sat facing each other, not speaking, just looking at each other. Deeanna noticed how much Ken had changed since the last time they'd seen each other. His face had thinned out, and his eyes now had a warm glow to them. Ken was looking at her, his eyes misty.  
  
"You're so beautiful, Deeanna." he said softly, reaching out. He caressed her cheek gently. Deeanna's breath caught in her throat. Ken started to lean in close...  
  
A group of younger children raced by, shattering the moment between the two teens. They sprang appart.  
  
*So close...* Deeanna thought, disapointed.  
  
*So close...* Ken sighed inwardly. He stood, and held out a hand to Deeanna.  
  
"Come on, i know a place where we can be alone." he said, helping her up.  
  
Ken led Deeanna to the back of the park, where there were several large lilac bushes. They crawled through the bushes to an enclosed space.  
  
"I found this place when I was a kid."Ken explained."Every year when the lilac's bloomed, I would crawl in here to think, or just sit quietly."  
  
"It's lovely." Deeanna sighed, closing her eyes and inhaling. The scent of lilacs was strong. Some of the tiny purple blossoms fluttered down, catching in Deeanna's hair. Ken reached out once more, this time brushing the blossoms away. He wrapped his arms around Deeanna and sat with her on his lap.  
  
"Now where were we?" he murmered in her ear.  
  
"Having a sudden attack of lustfulness?" Deeanna asked, her voice rising several octaves.  
  
"After 6 years of longing to see you again...hmm, yes." Ken replied. Deeanna slipped off of his lap and sat facing him once more.  
  
"Ken." she said softly, her eyes shining."I missed you so much."  
  
"I missed you, too, Deeanna." Ken replied, edging closer. His eyes were half closed as he leaned forwards. This time, there were no interuptions. His lips met hers in a gentle caress as he wrapped his arms around her, and held her close. One of his hands went to her neck, the other pressed to the small of her back.  
  
Deeanna felt something slip away. Before she had time to register what had happened, Ken had broken away the kiss, and had her hand in his. She felt something slip onto her finger. 


	7. The plot thickens

It's been a long time since I've posted anything. It took me ages to write this chapter. Writing without my father's encouragement is kind of hard...but I'm getting better now. I figured it was time to dig myself out of my pit (it's nice and dark down there...) and post something. I'm just not sure of how good it is.  
Please read and comment. I would appreciate it.  
Disclaimer: Digimon and any mention there of is the copyrighted property of...someone who isn't me. I'm just borrowing it to write my stories...

Yolei lay on her bed, scowling up at the ceiling. Poromon was curled up in a basket on her desk, sound asleep and oblivious to everything but his sweet dreams.

"Stupid Deeanna." Yolei growled, turning onto her side. She crossed her arms."Why did that...that 'Goggle-head' have to come back now! I bet she's out there, right now, seducing MY Ken!"

Somehow, after years of living in Deeanna's absense, she had gotten used to the thought that perhaps Ken was up for grabs. And she wasn't ready to let go.

"I'll never give him up!" she hissed."He's mine!"

He had asked her on that futile trip to get Deeanna to turn back into Davis what love felt like. She had thought he was talking about his feelings for her, not that...that google-headed hussy!

There was a picture on her desk. It had been taken years ago, just before Dee had left. All of the Odaiba Digidestined were grouped together, and Ken had his arms around Deeanna. Yolei picked up the picture and smashed it against the wall. Broken glass shattered from the frame and littered Yolei's bedroom floor. Poromon woke with a start.

"What happened Yolei?" he asked in his sweet, innocent voice.

"Nothing, Poromon." she said, patting his head."You go back to sleep now."

Reassured by his partner, Poromon closed his eyes and was once more slumbering peacefully. Yolei watched him sleep for a few minutes, before sitting down at her computer. She was still fuming while she checked her e-mail. There was only one message, but it didn't say who it was from. Curiousity overwhelmed the purple-haired young woman.

Dear Digidestined of Love and Sincerity,  
I know how you feel right now. Deeanna has also robbed me of a person I adored. I would like to meet you. Please come to the Digital World tomorrow at noon. Don't worry about finding me. I will find you.  
-A friend.

Yolei's expression became thoughtful. So she was right about Deeanna. That little hussy was stealing other people's men, hm? Maybe she would go see this person tomorrow...

Back at Ken's appartment, both Ken and Deeanna sprawled on his couch. DemiVeemon and Wormmon sat on the floor, eyes glued to the glowing wonder that was t.v.

"They're easy to please." Ken said.

"Give them enough junk food and a game console, and then say they're easy to please." Deeanna replied.

"As I recall, you used to be the same way, Dee." Ken said, raising an eyebrow at her.

Deeanna's reply was to throw a couch cushion at Ken. Ken laughed.

"You're precious." he said, reaching over and ruffling Deeanna's silky hair.

"I try to be." Deeanna replied in a modest tone, causing Ken to laugh harder. Soon, Deeanna had joined in.

"I haven't laughed this hard in years..." Ken gasped.

"Neither have I." Deeanna admitted."I didn't really have any reason to laugh, really."

"Clearly." Ken paused."I-I...I'm really glad that you came back...and I...I promise to..."

"I can't believe it." Deeanna threw up her hands.

"What?"

"I never thought that you, my dear, articulate genius, would have trouble finishing a sentence."

"Well, I-" Ken stopped."Where'd you learn 'Articulate' from?"

"Out of a magazine." Deeanna giggled."Now, you were saying?"

"I-I promise...to take care of you as long as you need me to." Ken said in a rush. It took Deeanna a minute to realise what Ken meant. Her face fell.

"Oh." she said, looking down at her feet."I see."

Ken smacked himself on the forehead.

"That didn't come out right." he said, flustered. His cheeks burned hotly.

"No no, it's alright." Deeanna said."You meant, for as long as I'm still alive, of course."

Ken squirmed with discomfort.

"It's okay, really." Deeanna said, shaking her head."Remember, I've accepted it. It just makes me a little uncomfortable, that's all."

"Understandable." Ken nodded.

They sat in silence, watching the cartoons the two little Digimon had chosen for a few minutes. Deeanna stood up.

"I should make us some dinner." she said, turning towards the kitchen. Ken jumped up.

"No, I can do that." he said. Deeanna eyed him sternly.

"No mother-henning now, Ken. I'm not a total invalid."

"Where-"

"Magazine."

"Oh."

Deeanna waltzed into the kitchen, giggling softly to herself at being able to confuse Ken.

Deeanna and Ken lay on Ken's bed later that night.

"I think I ate too much." Ken groaned.

"Poor baby." Deeanna murmered, stroking his hair."But I didn't see you turning down seconds, now did I?"

"Point taken." Ken laughed, stretching."I've never had such good ramen before."

"I've had time to practice." Deeanna replied."Demiveemon tested it for me. It's a wonder that he isn't as round and fat as a soccer ball by now. I guess he works it all off in his periods of hyperactivity."

"That could be it." Ken agreed."He certainly ate a lot tonight. Wormmon, too."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Deeanna said, snuggling close to Ken. He stiffened at the contact for a moment, then relaxed and put his arms around Deeanna.

"Well, I promised to take care of you. What can I do first?" he whispered in her ear. He was feeling good and playful.

Deeanna thought for a moment. What did she really, really want Ken to do for her? There were so many possibilities...she could use this to her advantage, and tease him a bit, but...no, she knew what she wanted.

Deeanna looked at Ken, locking eyes with him. A small smile twitched at her lips, and her eyes sparkled. Leaning closer to him, she whispered her wish into his ear.

"WHAT!"

If Deeanna hadn't been holding Ken tightly, he would have jumped off of the bed in shock.

"You want THAT!"

Deeanna nodded seriously.

"Yes, I do. Very much so."

"I can't do...that!" he cried.

"Why not?"

"Well, I...I..." Ken tried to figure out a reason.

"Please?" Deeanna said, and looked pleadingly at him."I...I need this..."

The look in her eyes made up Ken's mind. He hesitated for a moment, then slowly got up. He crossed over to the door.

"You're absolutely sure...?" Ken asked, his hand reaching for the door. But he already knew what Deeanna's answer would be.

"Yes."

Ken sighed, and locked the door. The Digimon were asleep on the couch, but he wasn't taking any chances.

Deeanna lay sleeping in Ken's arms, but Ken was wide awake. He watched the clock on his dresser change to 3:30 a.m, the bright red numbers glowing across the dark room. He sighed contentedly.

He had tried to be a gentle lover, but his need had been as great as Deeanna's. He couldn't deny that.

Deeanna sighed in her sleep, and cuddled closer to Ken. He watched her sleep for a few minutes. He had never met anyone else who was so precious to him. And in a month, he was going to loose her. That thought burned in his mind.

Ken felt a prickling sensation in the corners of his eyes. Hot tears welled up, and fell down his cheeks, splashing on the top of Deeanna's head.

He couldn't stand it any longer. He carefully crawled out of the bed, tucking the covers carefully around Deeanna's sleeping form. He planted a soft kiss on her lips, grabbed his boxers, and slipped out of the room.

Deeanna stirred, as though sensing his absense.

Ken closed the bathroom door, and leaned against it. He let out a sob of despair.

He had just gotten Deeanna back. He couldn't loose her again. There had to be something he could do to save her from this terrible fate. But how did one save a human from a digital virus? Fresh tears rolled down his face.

Ken crossed the room, and bent over the sink. He turned on the cold water, and splashed it over his face several times.

"Ken?" a soft voice startled him. He quickly turned around. Deeanna was standing in the doorway, a sheat wrapped loosely around her body, her hair cascading over her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Deeanna asked, her eyes glowing softly in the dim light. He couldn't stand it.

Ken gave a low moan, and stumbled towards her. He wrapped his arms around Deeanna, and burried his face in her hair. Startled, Deeanna put her arms around Ken, stroking his hair gently, and let him cry.


	8. Couch flips and Surprises!

Surprised? I was feeling a little more creative about the last chapter, and what Deeanna wanted. I was originally going to have her ask for a banana split or something like that, but I changed my mind :) And if you thought the last chapter was a surprise, wait 'til you read this!

Deeanna waited until Ken's sobs had quieted. She lifted his chin with one finger, and looked into his eyes.

"Now, what's wrong?" she asked. Her tone, while soft and gentle, dictated to Ken that she expected an answer.

"I don't want to loose you!" Ken said fiercely."I don't want you to die, especially not because of some..._whacko Virus Digimon_!"

Deeanna blinked.

"I see. But I-"

"YOU may be alright with it, but I'm not!" Ken said through gritted teeth, guessing what Deeanna had been about to say."And I know that the others feel the same."

"Ken..." Deeanna said. She sighed, and gave him a half smile.

"I'm going to find a way to save you." Ken said, his tone both hopeful, and near boastful.

"If Genai doesn't know a way, what makes _you_ think that you can?"

"Because Genai doesn't know me very well." Ken replied."I should have had the Crest of Tenacity!"

Deeanna burst out laughing hard enough to bring tears to her eyes, and almost fell over. Ken allowed himself a small grin.

"And just how, might I ask, are you going to acomplish this?" Deeanna asked, wiping a few tears from her eyes.

"I don't know just yet, but I'll figure it out." Ken answered.

"Well, I'll thank you in advance, I suppose. But-" and for a moment, Ken saw Davis smiling at him through Deeanna's eyes."if you can't, don't be too sad. I wouldn't want you to be. Understand?"

Wordlessly, Ken nodded.

"Good. And if you need to talk about this again, I'll listen. Now, let's get back to bed. You must be tired." Deeanna got up and helped Ken to his feet. She gave him a playful slap on the rear and shooed him."Go on."

Ken smiled sadly, and went back to bed.

Ken woke up, feeling refreshed. He checked the clock. 11:30! He hadn't meant to sleep **THAT** long. Throwing on a T-shirt, he ran out of the bedroom, skidded on the hall rug, past the kitchen alcove yelling "Yeeeeargh!", and hit the back of his couch. He flipped over the back, bounced off the couch, and slammed onto the floor face first.

"Ouch..." he mumbled, spitting out a mouthful of carpet fluff.

"You sure know how to make an entrance." Deeanna said, stepping out of the kitchen, wearing one of Ken's old shirts, which was like a dress on her, and an apron."You weren't even that flashy on the soccer field."

"Why did you let me sleep so long?" Ken demanded, sitting up, rubbing his face painfully.

"I don't know," Deeanna shrugged."but you seemed to need it."

There was a growling sound. Ken blushed.

"And breakfast, too." Deeanna added, half amused."I made pancakes for the Digimon; there's some left if you want them."

"That would be great." Ken smiled.

Yolei stood in the Digital world, alone. Waiting. She had left Poromon with Kari and Gatomon today. Poromon wouldn't approve of what Yolei was doing. And she did NOT want the little Digimon to interfer.

Yolei checked her watch. It was almost noon.

She hoped that whoever had contacted her would help her get rid of her problem. Deeanna was a problem. She should never have come back...

Sudenly, her watch beeped. It was noon.

"Okay, where are you?" Yolei said aloud.

"Right here."

Yolei turned around quickly.

"You?" she blinked."You are the one who's going to help me?"

"Yes."

Yolei was staring at DarkPalmon.

"I thought you disapeared." Yolei said suspiciously.

"As if!" DarkPalmon snarled."Enough about that. Let's talk..."

After Ken had finished his pancakes, answered the phone, and gotten dressed, and Deeanna had given the sticky, syrupy Digimon a much needed bubble bath, they headed out for a walk.

"The others said they would meet us in the park," Ken said, holding onto Deeanna's hand tightly, pulling her along.

"What's the big hurry?" Deeanna complained, trying to loosen Ken's grip. Ken didn't answer."Oh, come on, tell me! Why the big rush?"

"You'll see when we get there," Ken replied, sounding a little preoccupied.

"Does this have anything to do with that phone call you got while I was giving the Digimon a bath?" Deeanna asked, bringing it up. Ken had been acting all secretive since that phone call. And Deeanna didn't like secrets.

"Maybe," Ken said evasively.

All the way to the park, Deeanna kept asking questions, and Ken kept answering 'Maybe' or 'I don't know'. Deeanna was getting a little angry. She knew something was being kept from her, and that just wouldn't do for the curious Digidestined. She tried to dig in her heals and slow Ken down, but Ken wasn't having any of that.

Soon, however, they were at the park entrance. Ken led Deeanna towards the other side of the park, and around their lilac bushes.

"We're here!" Ken called to someone Deeanna couldn't see yet.

Ken tugged her around the last of the bushes. All of the Digidestined, excluding Yolei, were there. What's more, they were all dressed up in their best clothes. Deeanna had been too preoccupied with trying to figure out where they were going to notice that Ken was dressed nicely, too, in off white slacks and a white long sleaved button-down shirt. He was smiling in a way Deeanna had never seen him smile before.

"W-what's going on?" Deeanna stammered. The girls giggled and grinned evily, pulled out a large shopping bag, and advanced upon poor Deeanna.

Deeanna lay in bed that night, still stunned. Her diamond ring glittered in the moonlight streaming in through the window, as it guarded the thin band of gold and silver that also encircled her finger.

The girls had shoved a white satin dress over her head, pinning her arms to her sides, and Deeanna had had no choice but to put her arms through the sleaves, or fall over. While Mimi and Sora pinned a veil and daisies to her hair, Kari switched Deeanna's sneakers with white dress flats. Still protesting in vain, still bewildered, she was led back to Ken, had a boquet of white roses shoved in her hands, and was informed that she was getting married. This caused her to splutter in shock. The boys thought it was hilarious.

Deeanna was surprised that Ken and the others had been planning this. They even had a priest, for crying out loud! They were serious!

"Of course I'm serious. Why else did I give you that ring six years ago?" Ken had asked, amused.

After that, Deeanna gave up all protests. And they had gotten married there, in the park, next to the lilac bushes Ken and Deeanna loved so much.

And now Deeanna Ichijouji lay awake in bed, listening to Ken, HER Ken, breathing deeply in slumber. The days excitements, not to mention a glorious evening of...well, you know. Deeanna blushed. It had been an unexpected, yet beautiful moment in her shortened life. Cuddling close to her husband, Deeanna closed her eyes, and felt him sleepily put his arms around her.


	9. Put the Fight Back in Her

I am just full of surprises, aren't I: ) And another surprise, I've updated yet again, within a few days of the last one!

Disclaimer: umm...pick your favorite, and insert it here. you know what I mean, anyways...

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"Good morning, beautiful."

Deeanna opened her eyes. Ken was leaning over her, smiling. His eyes sparkled. They only did that when he was really happy about something.

'What-?' Deeanna thought, then remembered and blushed. Ken bent his head down and kissed her.

"Red looks good on you," he whispered teasingly.

"It looks good on you, too-o-o-oo," Deeanna gasped, her voice rising a bit, as she noticed that Ken wore a faint blush himself. Suddenly, her stomach growled. Loudly.

"I guess I'm hungry," Deeanna's blush increased.

"When aren't you?" Ken laughed, and ducked as Deeanna threw a pillow at him.

"Hey!" she fumed."I'm your wife!"

"You're also my best friend," Ken said, rolling off the bed, and out of her reach. He fished around in the disgarded clothing on the floor for his boxers."and I know, personally, that your appetite hasn't changed in six years!"

Ken tugged on his boxers and headed for the door. Deeanna grabbed a robe from the floor and tugged it on.

"I'm not finished with you!" she called."This ain't over! Don't make fun of a woman's eating habbits, it's bad for your health!"

Ken just laughed, and ducked into the kitchen.

"You're a man, too, or did you forget?"

"How could I forget that? Besides, it's only part of my mind that's still Davis," Deeanna said, leaning against the kitchen doorway and crossing her arms.

"Technically, you're still part man," Ken said, slipping into his _I'm-a-genius-just-agree-with-me _mode."And technically-"

"Argh, you and your technicalities!" Deeanna threw up her hands in frustration, and stomped off to have a shower."Screw the technicalities!"

Ken chuckled. Sometimes, before Davis had been changed into Deeanna, they had fought like this. But it wasn't serious; they just did it for fun. Ken sometimes liked to rile Davis/Deeanna up, just to see him/her get mad.

"I've missed this..." he whispered, smiling. A few tears welled up in his eyes, but they were happy tears. He wiped them away, and continued cooking breakfast.

Yolei picked Poromon up from Kari's house, politely turning down her invitation to stay for lunch. She had other things to do. DarkPalmon had been a huge help to her, and when Yolei was through...Deeanna wouldn't know what had hit her. Yolei smiled. It wasn't a nice one. Poromon didn't notice, but even if he had he wouldn't question it; he thought Yolei could do no wrong.

Yolei went home, and set Poromon down on her bed, and let him bounce around. He was happy to be home. He didn't notice, however, Yolei's new necklace. On a silver chain hung two small symbols: the Crest of Love, and the Crest of Sincerity. Both were black as jet. And between them both hung a polished black jewel. A necklace fit for a princess. Or...an Empress.

Yolei smiled. A smile full of malice and hatred. Her eyes were no longer light brown, but getting darker in colour; they were almost black. Her hair was becoming a darker shade of purple, too.

"Hey Yolei, is that a new look for you?" Poromon chirped suddenly, breaking into Yolei's thoughts.

"Uh huh, Poromon, it is," Yolei said, her tone sweet."I decided to try something new. You know, coloured contacts, some hair dye...do you like it?"

"Yeah!" Poromon peeped."You always look good, but this is even better!"

"Thanks, Poromon," Yolei smiled, a much gentler smile than before, and patted him on the head."That means a lot."

"I still don't understand how you planned all that so fast," Deeanna said through a mouthful of rice omlette.

"I asked for the guys help, when the girls took you shopping," Ken replied, sipping his coffee."then the girls got in on it. I think Sora wormed it out of Matt."

"That sounds like Sora!" Deeanna laughed. She looked around."Where's the bottomless pit and the bug?"

"DemiVeemon and Wormmon?" Ken asked."I asked Kari to watch them overnight, so we could be alone. I bet they're driving Gatomon up the wall!"

"I have taught them well, then," Deeanna smiled innocently. She brushed her hair behind her ear with one hand, cocked her head, and grinned at Ken.

"I hope you're not teaching them bad habits, Dee," Ken said. He gathered up their breakfast dishes, and walked into the kitchen. Deeanna followed him. As Ken put the dishes in the sink to rinse them, Deeanna threw her arms around Ken, and nibbled delicately on his neck. Ken shivered.

"You sure know a lot about-" he started to say.

"How to turn a man on?" Deeanna finished with a guess."I didn't do anything in America, but I did read a lot. Your aunt had a **lot** of Harlequin romance novels. And some Cosmo magazines, too. And I got bored one day. Dude! That magazine is _full_ of filthy smut!"

Ken laughed, and proceeded to rinse the dishes, then stack them in the dishwasher.

"But it's useful smut," he concluded."if your nighttime behavior has anything to show for it. Little Vixen."

"Why, thank you," Deeanna said."I'm flattered."

There was a knock at the appartment door. Deeanna and Ken were startled. Deeanna went to answer the door. Two buddles of energy jumped at her head, and clung to her face, babbling excited questions and exclaimations of hunger.

"Good morning, Kari, Gatomon, come in," Deeanna said, her voice muffled. Reaching up, she attempted to peel DemiVeemon and Wormmon off her face. Kari and Gatomon laughed as they walked into the appartment.

"DemiVeemon, are you trying to get a second breakfast out of me?" Deeanna scolded, finally succeeding in removing the Digimon."And you too, Wormmon? Shame on you!"

"How come you get seconds?" DemiVeemon whined.

"That's different," Deeanna said, smugly. Ken walked over and took Wormmon from Deeanna.

"Thank you for looking after them, Kari," he said."I appreciate it."

"No problem," Kari replied."Gatomon was glad to have the company."

"They weren't any trouble, were they?"

"Oh, no, they were great."

"Kari let us stay up late and play video games and have bedtime snacks and..." DemiVeemon went on and on blissfully.

"And she gave us cookies with chocolate chips, because I don't like raisins, and Gatomon let us play tag with her, and we went to the park, and..." Wormmon put in. Deeanna and Ken looked at each other and laughed.

"Were only just got married, but already we're parents!" Ken choked out.

"They _do_ sound like kids," Kari agreed with a smile. Deeanna just smiled; but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Ken noticed.

"What do you say to Kari and Gatomon?" he asked the two Digimon distractedly, still watching Deeanna.

"Thank you!" they said in unison.

"You're welcome," Kari laughed."Listen, Deeanna, us girls are getting together later at my place, do you want to come with us? Unless, of course, you two have other plans?"

"Oh no, I'll be there," Deeanna said quickly, smiling brightly.

"Okay, see you later!" Kari said as she and Gatomon left.

Deeanna saw the two out, then went into the bedroom, and collapsed face-first on the bed. Ken followed. Deeanna was making a funny, muffled sound. It took Ken a moment to realise that she was weeping; he didn't know why, but something told him it was better not to ask. Instead, he grabbed his towel and some clothes, and headed into the bathroom for a shower.

When Ken walked back into the bedroom, Deeanna was face-up, her eyes closed. Her eyes were red, and her nose a little puffy.

"Dee?" he asked softly. Deeanna opened one eye."I was thinking maybe I...would go to the Digital World for awhile. They have a great library there," he hurried on."and I was thinking about doing some research and...maybe you wanted to come, too?"

"No," Deeanna said, shaking her head."I'm not feeling up to it. You go on."

"Are you sure?" Ken asked anxiously. This sudden lethargy worried him.

"Yes, I'll be fine," Deeanna smiled."Have fun."

"Be good while I'm gone, ok?" Ken said, planting a quick kiss on Deeanna's cheek.

"I'm always good."

"And this coming from the person who used to break school windows with soccer balls, antagonize powerful Mega Digimon, and get detention every other day at school," Ken teased.

"I haven't done that in years!" Deeanna said, indignantly."and I probably won't for another week, at least!"

"That's my girl," Ken said as he patted her on the head.

After Ken and Wormmon had gone, Deeanna paced around the appartment, straightening up. She might have hated to clean _anything_, if her old room from her 'Davis Days' was any indicator, but it was something to do. Being reminded of children and parentage made her sad. She remembered her own parents, and how easily they had turned on her...

Deeanna had wondered for awhile, before she had found out about the virus, what kind of a parent she would be. She wanted children, she really did. The idea of childbirth freaked her out. That was something a guy (or former guy) didn't want to think about, especially after all the sex-ed classes she'd endured back in High School. But she wanted a child, especially if it had Ken's hair and eyes. But that wouldn't happen now.

Deeanna screamed in frustration and threw a couch cusion across the room. It felt good to scream and throw things. She had endured Genai's diagnosis with a smile and acceptance. But now, she didn't want to die. Well, she hadn't _wanted_ to (who _did_?), but she especially didn't want to now.

Maybe it was being back with her friends. Maybe it was feeling like someone loved and accepted her. Maybe it was being married. But something was finally making her want to fight for her life.

"Deeanna?" DemiVeemon asked."Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm sorry DemiVeemon," Deeanna said, scooping her partner Digimon up and cuddling him."I'm okay, I'm sorry if I worried you, buddy..."

"It's okay, Davish."

Deeanna was silent for a long moment.

"Why'd you call me that?"

"Because, when I'm with you like this, alone, just us, and when we talk, it doesn't feel any different than before. Deeanna feels different than Davish. But when I'm with you...it's Davish who's with me," DemiVeemon explained.

Deeanna felt her eyes tear up.

"Thank you..." she whispered."That makes me feel better. I felt like...the real me was slipping away, but I'm glad you told me this. I know I'm still here. You've made me very happy."

She tickled DemiVeemon's tummy and made him giggle.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Deeanna asked. DemiVeemon looked at her hopefully.

"Pudding!"


	10. A Cure?

Well, the inspiration has struck me again, so you're all lucky. You get a new chapter. throws confetti and blows a noise maker

Disclaimer: Insert Here

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After a large bowl of chocolate pudding, Deeanna was feeling better. She left DemiVeemon sleeping off his pudding binge while she showered and dressed, then headed over to Kari's. Her heart felt lighter, now that she didn't feel depressed and hopeless, and there was a spring in her step. She was going to fight.

Kari let Deeanna into her appartment, and immediately noticed the change in her friend. Deeanna seemed more full of life than ever before. Not even Davis had ever seemed this happy-go-lucky.

"What happened to you?" she blurted out.

"Ken's trying to find a cure for me in the Digital World!" Deeanna was almost giddy as she took off her shoes.

"Oh, Deeanna! That's great news!" Kari cried.

"I would have told you yesterday, but it went right out of my head," Deeanna said, nudging Kari.

"I can well imagine!" Kari laughed, and led Deeanna into the living room. Gatomon, Sora and Mimi were sitting on the couch.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Fashion Police," Deeanna said dryly.

"We couldn't let you get married in torn blue jeans and icky, filthy sneakers, could we?" Mimi asked, scandalized by the idea."That would be a fashion Faux Pas!"

"Oh the fashionable humanity," Deeanna said sarcastically. Kari and Sora giggled.

"At least you looked nice," Mimi added."For your wedding, _and_ your wedding night!"

"Speaking of which," Sora began.

"How was it?" Mimi finished."Is Ken good 'in the sack'? Spill!"

Deeanna was speachless. Her face turned bright red and began to glow. All that would come out of her mouth was a strangled sound.

"Dude, that...that's **_sick!_**" she finally managed to say.

"We're kidding!" Kari laughed.

"That is SO not funny!" Deeanna wailed.

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While Deeanna was being teased, Ken was pouring over every available resourse in the Digital Library.

_Shadow Myotismon has one main defense. If he can manage to infect another Digimon, either through an open wound, or by biting, he can transfer some of his data to his victim. The data lies dormant for an unknown length of time, before it begins to break down it's host body. Then viral data then destroys the good data, and takes over in Primary Village; a new Viral Digimon will be reborn._

Ken shuddered.

_It is unknown if there is a cure._

Reading this caused Ken to swear.

_However, it is rumoured that a rare plant, the Tahirah Flower, can purify a victims data, thus destroying Shadow Myotismons data._

"Tahirah Flower..." Ken murmered.

"What was that?" Wormmon asked.

"The Tahirah Flower," Ken repeated."It may be Deeanna's only hope for recovery. It should purge the virus from her system."

"Where do we find it?" Wormmon asked.

"I don't know..." Ken dropped his head into his hands wearily."But I'm determined to find out!"

Ken search for hours with no luck. He went through shelf after shelf of information. Finally, he found one small reference to the Tahirah Flower.

_The Tahirah Flower is rare, and more precious than anything in the Digital World. It is said to be guarded by the Four Digimon Guardians: Azulongmon, Ebonwumon, Baihumon, and Zhuquiaomon._

"Awww...Sugar," Ken swore."This just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it..."

"It does?" Wormmon asked, confused.

"That was sarcasm, Wormmon."

"Oh..."

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Deeanna was having a good time with the girls. It wasn't every day she got to spend time with the female Digidestined. And this wasn't at all like spending time with Tai. That time had been spent watching movies with car explosions and violence, eating junk food 'til it came out of their ears, and talking about soccer this and soccer that 'til the Cowmon's came home.

This was different. A romantic comedy, triple chocolate chip brownies, and lots of gossip and talks about clothes and make-up and boys and...all the things these girls had always liked to talk about. Deeanna hadn't been sure that she would ever like it, but she didn't mind it; not even engaging Mimi in an arguement about make-up application, and lipstick vs. lip gloss.

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When Ken got back to the real world, he noticed that Deeanna wasn't back. Ergo, it must be that Mimi was talking about make-up and clothes. Ken sighed. She had dragged him into one such conversation once. Now he avoided being alone with her like the plague.

Ken tried sitting and watching t.v, but because his mind was in a state of turmoil, he couldn't concentrate. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves, and set about making dinner. It took his mind off the Tahirah Flower for a short while. While the dinner was almost finished, he fed the Digimon, straightened up the living room, and set the table. Then Deeanna was home, greeting Ken with a kiss on the cheek.

Ken immediately noticed that his wife's skin had an almost healthy glow, and she had more sparkle in her eyes.

"They didn't wear you out?"

"Oh, no," Deeanna shook her head."of course not. And it was actually kinda fun."

"Well, tell me all about it. Dinner's ready, and we can talk while we eat."

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It was late at night. Deeanna and the Digimon were curled up in bed, deep asleep. Ken, however, was not. Instead, he was at his computer. Izzy was online, and they were conversing.

Ken told him about the Tahirah Flower. Izzy was intrigued. He wanted to know more, but Ken couldn't tell him anything else. They both decided to meet the next day to discuss it further.

Ken shut down his computer and stood. He stretched a bit, then wandered down the hall. Glancing in the bedroom, Ken smiled tenderly at Deeanna. Her arm was reaching out onto Ken's side of the bed, unconciously searching for him. A slight frown creased her face, and she began to stir a bit.

"I'll be there soon," Ken whispered softly. After brushing his teeth, he pulled off his clothes, threw on a t-shirt, and crawled into bed. Deeanna snuggled closer to him as he lay down.

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Deeanna was sleeping in late. She had been sleeping so peacefully that Ken hadn't wanted to wake her. DemiVeemon and Wormmon were noisily and messily devouring a large bowl of cereal between themselves in the kitchen. Izzy andKen were in the living room.

"So, the Digimon Guardians are supposed to be guarding this flower?" Izzy mused.

"How do we get our hands on it?" Ken wondered out loud.

"Well, we can either lead a daring comando raid to capture us a Tahirah Flower, or we can find the Digimon Guardians, and ask for one," Izzy replied.

"Just ask for one?" Ken asked."I don't think _just asking_ for one is going to work."

"Well, I'm sure they'd be willing to listen. After all, when Deeanna was still Davis, she helped to save the _entire_ Digital World. And it wouldn't hurt to plead for her life, would it?"

"I guess not," Ken said glumly.

"Tentomon and I will go, too," Izzy said."And I'm sure I could get Tai to come with us. He's always up for an adventure, no matter how serious."

Ken's eyes lit up.

"You're the best, Izzy."

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After a quick phonecall, Tai had agreed to acompany Ken and Izzy. They were still discussing it when Deeanna finally woke up, stumbling from the bedroom in search of food, or at least a cup of coffee.

"Hey, sleepyhead!" Tai cried, grabbing her and ruffling her hair."Your Knights in Shining Armour are here!"

"Hey, wuzzgoinon-" Deeanna protested, sounding very groggy."No speaka da language before first cup, buddy."

"We might have a cure for you, Deeanna," Ken said joyfully.

"A cure?" Deeanna's eyes lost their cloudy look as she began to fully wake up and take interest.

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Ken and Izzy had explained their plan to Tai and Deeanna. The only thing Deeanna found wrong with it was that she wasn't included.

"Can't I go with you?" Deeanna pleaded, yet again."Please?"

"Uh uh," Ken shook his head."No way. That could put you in danger. You could get hurt, or sick, or-"

"Die?" Deeanna asked, innocently. Ken spluttered for a moment.

"Or that," he added with a nod."Which is exactly what we're trying to avaoid.

"But I might anyway, so what's the big fat deal?" Deeanna demanded, planting her hands on her hips.

Ken slowly dragged his hand down his face, and counted to ten. Deeanna was Davis, through and through. He couldn't deny it. Stubborn as a Monocromon.

"Dee," he said slowly, using her old pet name. Deeanna slowly lowered her hands until they were at her sides."please. Listen to me, and **stay** here. It's for the best."

"Oh, okay...!" Deeanna muttered. She stomped over to the couch and flopped down. She crossed her arms moodily and glared at the coffee table. Ken, Izzy, and Tai could practically see the steam shooting out of his ears.

"She'll thank me for this," Ken said to himself. He walked over to his computer, and held out his Digivice."Digiport open!"

When they had gone, Deeanna got up and stomped around the appartment, straightening up. She might have been angry, and she might have hated to clean **anything**, but it helped to soothe her nerves.

"Stupid Ken!" she snarled, 'plumping' pillows from the couch. Who are we kidding, punching the pillows is more acurate."Thinks he knows what's best for me! Leave me alone, will he? Dude, uncool! Uncool!"

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After a few hours, Deeanna had cooled down, and had gone out for a walk. Stopping for some tea at a cafe, she met Sora and Matt.

"Hi, Deeanna, come and join us," Sora invited. Deeanna gladly sat down, a small frown puckering her lips. Matt noticed.

"Alright," he said."What's with the face?"

Sora looked at Deeanna. She looked very unhappy. This wasn't a good sign.

"What's wrong?" Sora asked, putting her arm around the younger girl's shoulders."Marrital troubles already?"

"You could say that," Deeanna said, with puppy dog eyes.

"What happened?"

"Oh, it's Ken!" Deeanna said, exasperated."He's taking this 'Gotta Protect Deeanna!' thing _way_ too seriously! He goes off to the Digital World, and leaves me here, all by myself! He wouldn't even let me go with him. He thinks I'll...'Get hurt, or sick, or die!' " Deeanna mimicked Ken quite accurately."For the love of-!" she glared at her wedding rings."These are like chains to me now! I wish I never had them!"

Sora and Matt looked at each other. This was a giant 'Uh Oh!' indeed.

"You don't mean that, do you?" Sora asked, anxiously. Deeanna held the glare for a moment longer, then sighed.

"No...but I do feel trapped," she admitted, clenching her fists.

"Ken is just trying to protect you the only way he knows how," Matt said."He loves you with all his heart. You should have seen and heard him all these six years without you. 'Deeanna' this, and Deeanna' that."

"He missed you dearly. You were his best friend, Davis," Sora continued. Deeanna gasped at hearing her old name, her archilies heal, if you would."and then his girlfriend. And you know what they say-"

"Absense makes the Heart grow fonder!" Matt finished."He's only doing what's best for you."

"I guess..." Deeanna shrugged dejectedly."I don't have to like it, though..."

"No, I wouldn't suppose **you** would!" Matt laughed. Sora giggled softly. Finally, even Deeanna had to laugh.


	11. The Shit Hits the Fan

I figured it was time to post a new chapter. Since I have some free time tonight (it's almost 11, and I can't sleep) I said, "what the hey, why not?" :) I don't think it's as good as anything else I've writtin, but then again, I'm tired and not really thinking straight.

Ken and Company's adventure will be in the next chapter.

And if you find any spelling mistakes, don't give me heck for them. I usually catch them all, but I'm almost blind and sometimes I miss one or two mistakes.

Anywho, enjoy!

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Yolei and Hawkmon wandered the Digital World. It was late at night, and they were alone in a forest. Yolei seemed to be in good spirits. Hawkmon was slightly uncomfortable.

"Yolei, it's late, and you should be in bed. You have to work at your parents store tomorrow, and-"

"Oh, but I'm not going to work tomorrow, Hawkmon," Yolei purred."Besides, tonight, we're going to meet our destiny."

"Our destiny?" Hawkmon was confused."But why? What _is_ our destiny?"

"You'll see," Yolei said mysteriously.

They continued walking in silence. Hawkmon was growing more nervous with every passing minute. It was a cold night, and even Hawkmon's feathers weren't keeping him warm. Yolei didn't seem to notice, and Hawkmon wondered how.

When they had first arrived in the Digital world that night, Hawkmon had noticed that Yolei's clothes were different. They weren't the pilot-like clothes she had worn for 6, almost 7 years. Instead, Yolei was dressed in a long, gauzy dress of black and purple, with gold trim. Elegent, yes, but obviously thin and not meant for chilly night wanderings. Yolei wasn't even shivering.

"We're almost there," Yolei broke the silence.

"Where is...'there'?" Hawkmon asked, but Yolei made no reply.

The cold increased. Hawkmon realised that it wasn't because it was actually cold. No, this was a deeper, darker kind of chill. An evil chill, that nearly froze Hawkmon to his core. But, against his better judgements, Hawkmon continued to follow Yolei, unwilling leave his partner alone.

Soon, they were walking out of the forest. Everything was dead and grey here. Hawkmon was appalled.

"What sort of place is this?" he demanded. Yolei laughed.

"A wonderful place!" Yolei's laughed had a slightly maniacal tone to it. Hawkmon ignored it. The little hawk digimon was distressed.

"Your definition of 'wonderful' is **_far_** different than mine, Yolei!" he said indignantly."And where is this 'destiny' of ours?"

"Right there," Yolei pointed. It was a ruined fortress. To be precise, it was the same fortress they had fought in 6 years ago...

"You must be joking, Yolei, I thought you were sensible!" Hawkmon complained."We are **not** going in that place!"

Yolei laughed, and continued walking towards the fortress.

"I'm not going in there!" Hawkmon warned.

Yolei paused at the door to the fortress.

"Chickenmon!"

"_Chickenmon_!" Hawkmon cried, insulted."Wait just a minute, young lady!"

Hawkmon ran after Yolei.

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Yolei prowled the ruins of the castle. Hawkmon sulkily followed her around.

"I don't see why we're here!" he complained."We could be at home right now, in our warm beds..."

"Awww, don't be that way, Hawkmon," Yolei pouted."Look, I got you a present!"

Yolei held out a smaller copy of her new necklace. Hawkmon looked at the glittering necklace. It _did_ look nice.

"Well, I'm not big on wearing jewelry, but it's the thought that counts," Hawkmon said as Yolei fastened the necklace around his neck.

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Deeanna woke with a gasp.

"_No_!" she cried out in terror, not quite knowing why. Something had startled her awake. But she didn't know what it was, only that it was very, very evil. And it hadn't been a nightmare; no, she'd been having a nice dream about Ken, and...Well, it had been a really good dream.

After searching the appartment, and finding nothing, Deeanna slowly walked back into the bedroom. Shivering, she pulled her robe more securely around herself.

"Deeanna?" a sleepy voice asked.

Deeanna whirled around with a gasp. She put her hand over her heart when she realised it was only DemiVeemon.

"What's wrong?" DemiVeemon asked, sitting up in his basket bed.

"It's nothing, really. Go back to sleep now," Deeanna crooned, picking up her Digimon's fallen blanket. Tucking him in, she tenderly stroked his fuzzy little head until he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Deeanna stayed awake awhile longer. Whatever had startled her awake was gone. She wiped her pyjama sleeve across her brow.

"Why do I feel so hot?" she mumbled."I guess it's nothing..."

Soon, she was settling back into her Ken dream.

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Hours went by, and Hawkmon found that the longer he wore the necklace, the less he cared about being in the creepy fortress. He didn't even care when DarkPalmon showed up. In fact, for some strange reason he couldn't understand, he was happy to see him.

"So, you're finally here," Yolei sang out as she pranced about, letting her skirts swish and flare out grandly.

"Yes, indeed I am, Yolei," DarkPalmon said with a bow."Or should I say, my Empress?"

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Ken, Izzy, and Tai were standing on a misted plain. It was chill, and their breath frosted the air in front of them.

"Where are we?" Ken asked. His voiced echoed loudly, and he winced.

"I don't know," Izzy replied. It was hard for him to admit that he didn't know certain things, and this was one of them. He swallowed his pride, though."Check your D-3."

Ken studied his D-3 for a moment. A frown creased his face slowly.

"It's not even registering," Ken cried, shaking it. All that could be seen were 3 red dots blinking slowly, then fading out completely, on a blank map. Nothing else.

The three young men stood silently. With no map to guide them, they would have to rely completely on instinct.

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Deeanna woke grogily. A glance at the clock told her it was almost noon. After her night time waking, she felt tired and disoriented. Her joints hurt, her head ached, and she was too tired to move. This lethargy scared her. Not as much as the return of tha pain.

Searing pain lanced across every part of her body. It felt like she was being torn apart at the seems. A strangled scream escaped her throat, waking DemiVeemon.

"Deeanna!" he cried, hopping out of his basket. He tripped over his blanket, and stumbled to the bed. Jumping up, he sat beside Deeanna."What's wrong? Why are you screaming?"

Deeanna couldn't speak for the blinding pain. She thrashed around in silent agony, flailing her arms, seeking a relief to her torment. DemiVeemon was knocked down from the bed by one of her arms.

"Deeanna!" he yelled."Davish! You're scaring me!"

Deeanna tumbled from the bed, entangled in her sweat-soaked sheats. Sobbing determindly, ignoring her Digimon partner's cries, she crawled across the floor. Weak and dizzy with pain, she grabbed Ken's phone.

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Kari was fixing a tuna sandwich (with extra tuna) for Gatomon when her phone rang. Passing the sandwich to her Digimon, she picked up the phone.

"Hello, Kamiya residence. Kari speaking," she said.

"Kari!"

"Deeanna?" Kari frowned at the pain soaked voice on the line.

"Kari, I need you..." Deeanna sounded desperate."Please...it hurts so much!"

"What?" Kari cried."I'll be there as soon as I can!"

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Deeanna managed to stumble her way into the living room. Flipping the chain lock and catch, she flopped onto the couch, and prayed that Kari came quickly.

"Please, please, please," she whispered while clenching her teeth."_Please_ come soon!"

A drop of sweat ran down her face. Then a tear. Life had been less complicated when she was a boy. No real worries, no crazy killer Digimon virus eating her from the inside out.

If only she hadn't gone on that picnic with the others 6 years ago. She had blown off a soccer game for it, thinking she'd have more fun. But if she hadn't, she'd still be Davis. Still be loved by her family. Still be normal.

But...she wouldn't have Ken. Was this the price she had to pay for true happiness? For life with her other half, her souldmate? Was she _really_ prepared to pay it? She knew the answer as she was slipping into a fog of fevered dreams.

_Yes_.

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Kari and Gatomon had hurried over to Deeanna and Ken's apartment. The door was unlocked, so they slipped in quietly. The apartment was dimly lit.

"Deeanna?" Kari called, slipping off her shoes and wandering further in. She saw Deeanna, laying pale, still and quiet on the couch.

"Oh no."

She and Gatomon crept closer, fearing the worst.

"Please, don't be dead..." she whispered nervously. She reached out and touched Deeanna's brow. Burning with fever. Kari breathed a sigh of relief.

"Kari?"

Kari turned at the sound of her name being called. DemiVeemon was walking out of the kitchen with a washcloth and an icy bottle of spring water that was almost too big for his little paws to carry.

"DemiVeemon, what happened? And what are you doing with those?"

"I don't know what happened, Kari," the little blue Digimon answered."She woke up and started screaming."

"But what are those for?"

"Whenever I was sick, Deeanna put cold, wet washclothes on me, and I thought it might help her."

Kari took the cloth and bottle of water, and unscrewed the cap.

"Good thinking," she said."But generally, people use cold tap water."

"I couldn't get up on the counter," DemiVeemon complained."I'm too short, and 'sides, I'm not allowed on the counters. I found the water in a cooler. I think Ken forgot to take it with him."

"That's lucky."

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At the touch of the cold, wet cloth on her skin, Deeanna began to stir, but didn't wake up. The fog began to clear and her fever dreams became easier to interpret.

She was in ShadowMyotismon's castle again. She walked towards the exit. Vines shot out of the ground and blocked it. Every time she went near a window or door, she was blocked from leaving.

She saw Yolei, and Hawkmon. They saw her and walked closer. Hawkmon's eyes were glowing purplish-black. He digivolved in a Halsemon with pure black feathers. He screeched warningly at Deeanna.

Deeanna took a step back, uncertainly. Halsemon took a step forwards, his talons crushing the flagstones below their feet, grinding them into pebbles.

Suddenly, Halsemon launched himself at Deeanna, razor-sharp talons extended. Deeanna couldn't move. She was held in place with even more vines. She screamed in terror.

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Deeanna screamed and failed blindly at the hands that desperately held onto her. She couldn't see.

"NO!" she cried."HALSEMON, _NO_!"

"Deeanna, stop, you'll hurt yourself!" a worried voice said close by.

"Matt, help me!" a deeper voice said urgently.

Eventually, she was forced to lay back down, panting, still struggling occasionally. Her eyes began to clear as she blinked. A cold cloth swabbed her face and neck gently.

"Deeanna?"

"Deeanna, can you hear me?"

Deeanna squinted. Matt and Joe came into focus, leaning over her worriedly.

"What-?" she croaked.

"Kari called us," Matt frowned."She said you were sick, and couldn't get you to wake up. You started screaming and fighting just after we got here."

He helped her sit up slowly, and brushed her damp hair from her face. DemiVeemon and Gatomon were sitting on the coffee table, watching her worriedly.

"I was all for taking you to the hospital," Joe scowled."But how were we supposed to explain this to them? I don't think they have any experience in treating the victim of a Digital Virus!"

Deeanna recoiled. Her bottom lip started to quiver.

"We're not mad at you," Matt said gently, putting his arm around her."We were worried. What happened to you?"

"I-" Deeanna tried to remember."I woke up last night. I...I was dreaming, and I woke up. The dream scared me so bad...But I don't remember what it was about. I forgot as soon as I was awake..."

Kari, Matt, and Joe nodded encouragingly.

"I felt kinda hot, too, and I didn't know why. I went back to sleep, but I woke up around noon. I felt really tired and hot. And then I was in _so much pain_. It felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside out!"

She was getting more and more aggitated. Beads of sweat were standing out on her face. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were starting to look wild.

"The pain started to ease a small bit, and that's when I called Kari. Then I laid down on the couch. And I started to dream again," Deeanna clenched her fists.

"Calm down," Kari pleaded.

"No!" Deeanna snapped."I can't! I was _so _horrible!"

"What?"

"I started to think about...when all of this first started. _That damned picnic_!" Deeanna cried in a mixture of anger and shame."I could have gone to a soccer game that day. And I ended up like this. I had horrible thoughts about what might have happened if I hadn't been at the picnic and hadn't drank that soda, and I'm so ashamed of myself!"

"Don't be," Matt soothed. He pulled Deeanna close and rocked her gently.

"I'm a horrible, ungrateful person!" Deeanna sobbed."I love Ken! I shouldn't have been thinking that way!"

"Don't say that!" DemiVeemon said, his little brown eyes tearing up.

"You're not horrible, or ungrateful. I'd say that thinking about 'what might have been' as opposed to 'what is', is pretty normal," Joe said.

Deeanna sniffled, and wiped her face on her pyjama sleeve.

"That's not the worst of it."

"Does this have anything to do with that loud 'HALSEMON, _NO_!' you screamed?" Matt asked.

Deeanna nodded, averting her eyes.

"I fell asleep after that, I think," she whispered."I couldn't see very clearly in my dreams, but then, it was like the fog disapeared. And then..."

Deeanna tearfully explained the dream to her friends. They understood what had frighted her so much.

"I don't think we should pass this dream off as something your delerium created," Joe frowned."Remember those dreams from 6 years ago?"

Deeanna flinched, then nodded. She remembered all too well. Her back tingled. She remember the pain from the broken rib _very_ well.

"We'll look into this more later," Matt said, standing. He pulled Deeanna up carefully."I think you should be in bed right now."

He carried Deeanna, limp and exausted, back to the bedroom. Kari helped her into a fresh pair of pyjamas, and tossed the sweat soaked ones in the hamper. Then Matt tucked Deeanna into bed. DemiVeemon and Gatomon curled up at the foot of the bed.

"Kari will stay with you," he said."Joe and I are going to talk with the others. We'll be back later. Get some rest, okay?"

Deeanna nodded, closing her eyes. She was asleep in seconds.

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"Oh no!" Sora gasped, putting her hands to her mouth."Poor Deeanna!"

Matt had just finished telling the others about what had happened earlier. This worried tham all no end.

"It seems that the virus is progressing at an alarming rate," Joe said."I just don't know why."

"It's Ken," Sora said suddenly.

"What?"

"Ken is her protection," Sora explained."His presense slows down the virus. And without him here..."

Silence weighed heavily over them as it began to sink in. Without Ken around...Deeanna might not live long enough to recieve the Tahirah flower.

"But why him?" T.K. asked.

"Because he loves her, and is willing to do anything to protect him," Sora replied."Love is a very powerful thing."

"Hey, you know, I think it was a really good idea to leave Kari with Deeanna," Cody said, suddenly.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because she has the Crest of Light," Cody explained.

"Oh, I get it," Joe said, as Cody's logic began to dawn on him."The Crest of Light. It's purity would act just like Ken's love for Deeanna, and help slow down the virus."

"But what about Yolei?" Cody asked."If that dream was a warning, and not something her fever made her dream, is Yolei involved in any of this? And if she is, how bad?"

"I can ask her," Sora said firmly."She can't hide anything from me."

"Me too!" Mimi said fiercely, clenching her fists tightly.

"She'll deny it," Matt said coolly."And if she is involved in this, confronting her will let her know that we're onto her."

"Darn."

Everyone was stumped. They sat in silence for awhile, trying to figure this whole thing out.

"I should check on Deeanna," Matt said, breaking the silence. He pulled his cellphone out.

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Kari answered the phone.

"Oh, hey Matt," she said.

"How is she?"

"Still sleeping. She's still feverish, but no bad dreams so far," Kari answered."Have you guys figured anything out yet?"

"Only that Ken was what was slowing down the virus, and him not being here is why Deeanna got so sick. Oh, and that you staying with her will help."

"Why me?" Kari raised an eyebrow.

"Ummm...something about your Crest."

"Oh, I see."

"And we talked the Yolei thing over. No real luck with that."

"Pity."

"I'll let you go now, but I'll call later."

"Okay, bye."

Kari hung up. She looked over at Deeanna, curled on her side. She was sleeping deeply, though she occasionally would twitch. Her fever had dropped, but she was still very warm. At least she wasn't thrashing about or crying anymore.

She thought about what Matt had said about her Crest. It had something to do with the Crest of Light? But what...It took Kari a few moments of thought, before she came to the same conclusion as the others.

She lay on the other side of the bed with one of Ken's mystery novels, just to be close to Deeanna. Deeanna sighed, almost in relief, and rolled onto her back, a smile gracing her lips. Her breathing became more regular and she ceased to twitch.

"Sleep tight, Deeanna," Kari murmered. She turned her attention to the book, but kept one eye on Deeanna.


	12. Recovery

This took me awhile to write. If all goes the way I plan, there will just be 2 or 3 more chapters to go. And soon, there will be a BIG surprise for Ken and the other Digidestined. I hope you like it...

Again, don't give me any flack for any tiny spelling mistakes. I don't always catch them.

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They had walked and walked. But they never seemed to get anywhere. Ken was getting frustrated. No matter where they turned, it all looked the same.

"We could be going round in circles and we wouldn't know it!" Tai scowled.

Ken shook his D3 in a vain attempt to get it to work. With a sigh of long suffering, he shoved it back in his pocket.

"No luck?" Wormmon asked from Ken's shoulder. Ken shook his head.

"Nope."

"What do we do now?"

"Wing it?" Tai wrinkled his nose.

"I don't think we have a choice," Izzy sighed."Come on, let's try and figure this out.

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Hours passed. Ken was begining to lose hope of ever finding the flower. Or even a way out of that blasted plain. He dropped to his knees. His eyes tightly shut against a barrage of frustrated tears. He balled his fists and punched the ground.

"Hey now," Tai said, startled."Don't do that; we'll find a way out of here."

_It's no use, I know it!_Ken thought._I don't even think we've even moved, no matter how much we've walked today. And if we don't get anywhere, we won't get the flower, and Deeanna will...She'll..._

Tears began to roll down his cheeks. An image of laughing, grinning Deeanna appeared in his mind. His lovely, smiling Deeanna. His other half. He'd be lost without her.

_Deeanna!_ his mind screamed._No! I can't give up yet! Deeanna! I'll find a way to save you! I WILL!_

The mist began to shift and clear. A path appeared in front of them. Izzy and Tai were startled.

"Whatever you did, Ken," Tai said, looking at the younger man."I think it's helping."

"Think about Deeanna!" Ken said, getting up."Think about helping her!"

The 3 young men and the Digimon concentrated their hardest on their friend. The path became clearer.

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Deeanna woke slowly. The dark blue of twilight could be seen through a gap in the curtains.

_I must have slept all day_, she thought, blinking sleep from her eyes. Her cheek was resting on something warm. And soft.

"Comfy?"

Deeanna looked up. She was cuddled up to Kari, with her arms around her waist, her head in her lap. Deeanna's face slowly went from sleep-flushed petal pink to mortally embarassed crimson in 3.5 seconds.

"Ahh! Kari!" Deeanna jumped up, or tried to. She ended up in a tangled heap of sheats and blanket on the floor. Kari leaned over the edge of the bed, giggling.

"You finally got to snuggle with me!"

"Not exactly how, why, or the same circumstances as I _originally_ wanted to," Deeanna grimaced, detangling herself."It's about 6 or 7 years too late for that. I really did like you Kari. Then. And don't say it was puppy love, 'cause it wasn't. Then, that is, not now..."

"I know, but it was still kind of sweet," Kari grinned at the embarassed and rambling young woman, propping herslf up on her elbows and resting her chin in her cupped hands."I was reading, and the next thing I knew, you were cuddling up to me like I was your favorite teddy bear."

Deeanna, to say the least, was mortified.

"No way!"

"Oh, but you did," the Child, nay, Woman of Light said with a fiendish grin."You wrapped your arms around me, pulled me closer, and nestled your head in my lap!"

Deeanna groaned and burried her face in her hands. She would never, _ever_ live this down...

"Don't be upset," Kari said, patting her friend on the shoulder."It's okay. I didn't mind. You looked so cute and peaceful, I didn't want to move you."

"The Digimon didn't see any of that, did they?" Deeanna demanded.

"Nope," Kari shook her head."They're out in the living room playing video games."

"Good."

Kari felt Deeanna's brow.

"You're much cooler than this morning," she said."Do you feel any better?"

"A little. At least, I don't hurt anywhere," Deeanna shrugged.

"Hungry?"

"Not really."

"You should eat, anyway," Kari said, getting up."You haven't eaten since...what, last night? You need to keep your strength up. Dr.Joe's orders."

"Dr.Joe, huh?" Deeanna said, amused. She and Kari grinned at each other, but when Deeanna tried to get up to help her friend, Kari shooed her back into bed.

"No you don't," Kari scolded."You're sick. Stay in bed and rest, I'll manage dinner with Gatomon."

"Stay in bed and rest!" Deeanna cried in exasperation."I've been resting all day! I don't want to rest anymore!"

Her protests fell on deaf ears as Kari waltzed out of the bedroom, and shut the door.

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Ken, Izzy, and Tai followed the path. It lead them away from the misted plain, and to a small forest. Staring at the darkness and gnarled trees, the 3 young men became apprehensive, almost unwilling to enter.

"Hey, it's a sign!" Tai said.

"What?" Ken stared at him, wondering if it was devine intervention Tai was talking about."Where?"

"There," Tai pointed."On that tree."

They clustered around it.

_If you wish to walk through straight,_

_Sorely mistaken you may be._

_A test within to challenge fate,_

_So venture forth bravely._

_Whether it be friend or foe,_

_Or precious loved one dear,_

_Through this forest you must go,_

_And face your greatest fear!_

"You know," Ken said after a moment."I don't quite think I like the sound of that."

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Kari had made Deeanna ramen noodles and chicken broth. Deeanna has on her third helping when the others showed up.

"You look a little better tonight," Matt said by way of greeting. Deeanna, her mouth full to bursting with noodles and broth, merely nodded and swallowed.

"Did you..." T.K hesitated, not wanting to upset Deeanna but still overly curious.

"Did I what?" Deeanna asked, draining her bowl.

"Dream?"

The others held their breath, not knowing what Deeanna's reaction would be.

"Not very much, and not about anything in particular," Deeanna replied almost indifferntly, setting aside her empty bowl. She shook her head at Kari when the other girl reached for it questioningly. She was stuffed."Did you guys find out anything about Yolei?"

Everyone else looked at each other. They had, but...

"Well, you see..."

Deeanna crossed her arms, waiting.

"She might be missing."

"Might be?" Deeanna arched one eyebrow.

"Yolei's parents don't know where she is. She wasn't in her room this morning, didn't show up for work at the family store, didn't come home for dinner. No note or anything," Cody explained.

"So either she's run away or kidnapped or captured in the Digital World-" T.K fretted.

"Or," Sora interupted."She's switched sides, and is up to no good. I don't want to sound pessimistic, but I really don't trust her anymore. And it's not because of Deeanna's dream, either. Or the way she's been treating her."

They began to bicker about the Why For's, How's, If's, and But's. Deeanna grew swiftly bored with the whole affair, and decided to have another nap. Maybe they'd settle their arguements before she woke up.

"Wake me up when you come to a conclusion," Deeanna said exasperatedly, flopping down and covering her head with a pillow.

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Ken, Izzy and Tai entered the forest. It was dark and, not to sound too cliche, creepy. There was no sound anywhere, or any signs of life.

"You know, I'd just be happy to hear a creepy Owlmon hoot right about now," Tai said nervously, his voice echoing slightly. Agumon cowered behind him. He was a brave and courageous Digimon. Most of the time. This was not one of those times.

"Would ya stop crowding me!" Tai cried as Agumon huddled against his partner's knees, almost knocking him over. Tentomon was no better.

Ken sighed, lost in thought. They had wasted so much time on the plain. He couldn't wait to leave the forest. He didn't notice that he was still walking, and far away from Tai and Izzy.

A cold chill stopped him in his tracks. A keen feeling of dread made him tremble. He began to feel a terrible fear.

"Ken?" Wormmon asked, feeling his partner's trembles.

"Ken!"

Ken and Wormmon turned.

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_Deeanna dreamed. With so many people who loved her nearby, her dreams were light and pleasant. She relived happy past memories. She ran through the forests of the Digital World with Veemon, and laughing, they rolled in a sunlit meadow together, watching butterflies and birds fly overhead. Then, her dream changed._

_She saw Ken sitting on a mossy rock in a patch of sunlight, holding a tiny bundle. He rocked it gently_

_"Sammy..." he crooned lovingly. He looked at her and held out a hand to draw her closer. The bundle was gone, and both of his hands caught hers in a tight grip. His eyes said 'come'. As he walked backwards, still holding her hands, Deeanna was forced to follow._

_He led her playfully back to the meadow from the first half of her dream._

_"Look," Ken whispered, pointing. Deeanna looked. A young boy of about 5 years was chasing a butterfly with his partner Digimon, a little DemiVeemon. His light auburn hair stood up in small spikes, and his dark blue eyes glittered with childish delight. And he wore Deeanna's old goggles._

_"Who-?" Deeanna gasped. Ken looked deep into her eyes, his own shining with intense love, joy, and pride._

_"Sammy."_

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_Ken stared._

_Deeanna stood there. She smiled and took a step toward him. All of a sudden, her eyes widened with shock and pain. She sagged and collapsed into his arms. Ken swallowed had against the acid taste of bile as he stared at the gaping hole in his wife's chest._

_"Ken!" she choked. Blood dribbled out of her mouth, down her face, and onto the ground. She sobbed in agony. It wrenched at Ken's heart._

_"No!" Ken whispered, dropping to his knees."Oh God NO!"_

_Ken grabbed Deeanna's hand. He knew it was too late. The few short minutes that followed flet like an eternity to Ken. He held her close and felt the life drain out of her body with each passing second, with each laboured breath she took._

_"Please no," he choked out."Not now. Deeanna, NO!"_

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"NO! NO! NO!"

"Ken!" Wormmon pleaded."Wake up! _It isn't real!_"

Ken blinked, breathing heavily. His cheeks were wet with tears. Wildly, he looked around. There was no sign that Deeanna had ever been there. No body, no blood.

"What-?"

"Deeanna isn't dead!" Wormmon said.

"But I saw her..." Ken frowned."She was there, and she died-"

"It wasn't real!" Wormmon replied. There was a pause."It was your greatest fear, wasn't it?"

"Yes," Ken said, averting his eyes.

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Deeanna woke, feeling cool, refreshed and better than she had in months. Her dream lingered in her mind.

"Sammy..." she murmered reflectively. One hand unconciously touched her belly."Sammy?" she sighed gustily, her eyes dreamy.

Morning sunlight shone through the curtains, and her stomach growled. Her normal appetite was back with a vengence, but she didn't feel like cooking.

Kari was still asleep beside her. She wandered out into the rest of the appartment. Deeanna saw that the other Digidestined had stayed the night. They were strewn all over the couch and floor. She looked for someone she could coerce into providing her wanted nourishment.

Matt turned over with a sigh. Yes, he would do, Deeanna decided.

She cleared her throat. Matt woke up with a start.

"Oh!" he tried to jump up, but his legs were tangled in a blanket. He fell instead, whacking his head on the coffee table."Ow, dammit! Deeanna! How are you feeling?"

"Better."

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" he frowned, rubbing his throbbing face.

"No. Feeling better," Deeanna said, not wanting to waste energy with more than small talk."Food. Now."

"Maybe you should-" Matt started to say, searching her eyes for the unnatural brightness of lingering fever.

"FOOD. _NOW_!" Deeanna, eyes smoldering, crossly stamped her foot like a small child. Matt kicked the entangling blanket from his feet and mad a mad dash to the kitchen. He knew better than to argue with her.

The others woke as Deeanna was finishing her third plate of pancakes in celebration of her fever breaking. DemiVeemon was on his fifth.

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Ken was trying to control his tears when Tai and Izzy stumbled up to him and Wormmon.

"Did you-?" Tai asked in a hesitent, nervous voice, his eyes hollow.

Ken nodded, and wiped her palms quickly across his eyes.

"Us too," Tai slumped down beside the younger man.

"I heard you scream," Izzy said, twisting a corner of his shirt in his hands without noticing."I was going to see what the matter was, and then..." Normally cool-headed Izzy looked like he was going to bolt out of sheer terror.

"Same here," Tai muttered.

"I-it seemed so...so.." Ken gestured helplessly.

"Real?" Tai asked quietly.

"Yeah..." Ken dropped his head into his hands, shaking. The image was burned into his mind. Would he keep seeing it every time he closed his eyes?

"Hey hey hey, now," Tai dropped an arm around Ken's shoulders."Easy, little buddy."

"You used to call Davis that," Ken sniffed. Tai smiled.

"Yeah, I did, didn't I..."

He got to his feet, and offered Ken a hand up.

"Come on, we'd better get going."

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By the time all the Digidestined had roused and eaten, Deeanna was showered and dressed. The others marveled at the change in their friend. She was energetic, and and seemed to glow with health.

Suffice to say, Joe was stumped.

"It's Kari," Deeanna explained in an off-hand manner, smling a soft, secret smile as she cleaned up the breakfast dishes.

They accepted that. But did Kari _really_ cause Deeanna's bright, determined eyes, and skin that seemed to shimmer luminously?

Deeanna, though hardly daring to hope, knew in her heart why. It lifted her heart beyond illness, beyond yearning for Ken, and beyond staring death in the face. And right then, it was enough for her. She was entirely happy.


	13. The Power of Kindness

It took six months to update, and I guess some of you might be a little annoyed (though you haven't said anything, I can certainly guess so) but...good things come to those who wait, right? I wrote the latter half of this when I was feeling angry, passionate, and a little hurt and sad. I wanted it to turn out just right, and I'm not sure that it has, so I'll let you be the judge of it.

I know I left out Izzy and Tai's worst fears, but I felt it wasn't necessary. But if you want to know, both involved family and feelings of loss, too.

I don't normally dedicate chapters, but there's a first time for everything. This is dedicated to everyone who's read this story, and/or reviewed, especially Kara.

The story will be finished up in another two chapters, and hopefully by or just after New years.

Disclaimer: Insert favorite disclaimer here ; )

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Yolei was plotting. She sat on her throne, staring off into space, a smile on her face. Halsemon lay beside her, a stately and elegant guardian for his Empress. Yolei absently stroked his feathers, and Halsemon arched his neck in appreciation; his eyes were red and wild, glowing in the dim light of the throne room.

"How does one get rid of a pest, hmm?" she mused. Standing, she bagan to pace, the silk of her gown swishing and billowing dramatically. Halsemon watched indulgently, crossing his paws.

"If I get rid of Ken's little ball-and-chain, _Deeanna_," Yolei sneered."he'll be free once more. And then he'll be mine!" she gloated, flouncing about."An Empress _needs_ an Emperor, after all!"

Yolei would make a good evil Empress, it's true. She had the vindictiveness and malice, and certainly looked the part. But she lacked the flair and know-how Ken had once had. She knew what she wanted and how she wanted to get it, but didn't seem to know just _how_ she would go about achieving it.

To put it simply: while she had the right look and the right idea, as an evil Empress, she was an imbecile.

Sensing this, DarkPalmon decided to step in.

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Ken was more determined than ever to see this quest through. He wasn't turning back. Not after that setback on the plain, not even after the forsaken forest.

He was also angry. He felt like he was being toyed with, and was he ever pissed off. And when Ken was determined, and angry, things tended to go a lot faster.

As he stomped his way through the rest of the forest, Ken noticed that Tai and Izzy were keeping their distances.

"What?" Ken snapped at them, narrowing his eyes.

"I can feel the anger radiating off you," Tai complained, rubbing his arms."You're creepy when you do that."

Ken exhaled strongly through his nose in an attempt to calm down. No such luck.

They were making more progress than they originally had. And no more nasty surprisees. Suspicious, yes, but very welcome.

"It's almost as if this part of the Digital World was reacting to Ken's emotions," Izzy mused.

"Say what?" Tai glanced at Izzy.

"Well, think about it. Would you want to mess with him, to try to impede him from reaching his goal when he's like this?" Izzy gestured, and Tai looked back at Ken.

He could almost see the steam shooting out the younger man's ears. Tai raised an eyebrow.

"I see your point."

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Deeanna, though in newly returned good humour, was _slightly_ annoyed. The other Digidestined refused to leave her alone, in case she had another relapse.

"I'm not made of glass, so you don't need to hover over me," she said with a smile, though her eyes were starting to glint dangerously. And, quite sensibly, they backed off.

"Now, I'm not going to sit cooped up all day," Deeanna continued."So somebody, for the love of little Digi-eggs, take me out!"

"Eh?" Matt asked.

"I need fresh air!" Deeanna wailed dramatically, flopping herself onto the couch."I'll suffocate in here! Please, take me to the park. Take me for a walk, oh hell, even take me to the mall. I don't care, as long as I get out of here!"

Everyone laughed.

"Alright," Matt smiled indulgently as he ruffled her hair."Go get your purse or whatever. I'll take you out."

Deeanna cheered and threw her arms around Matt's neck.

"Matt, you don't know how much I love you right now!" she cried, then rushed to the bedroom to find her purse and keys, and do something about her hair.

"Is that wise?" Joe asked after a minute.

"Well, like she says, she's not made of glass," Matt shrugged."And maybe some fresh air will do her some good. I mean, she's pretty healthy right now, aside from the virus. She's a good kid who doesn't deserve what's happening to her, and I care about her a lot, and I want her to be happy. So why not?"

"Why not what?" Deeanna asked stepping back into the living room. She'd pulled her hair back in a bushy ponytail and had her purse dangling from one hand.

"Nothing you should worry your pretty head about," Matt smiled charmingly. Deeanna was shamelessly susceptable to flattery, and he knew it.

"Oh...okay!" Deeanna grinned back at him. Sora covered her mouth with her hand to hide the smile that was blooming. She didn't mind that Matt was turning his charms on Deeanna

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Matt and Kari took her to the park. The others dispersed for the day, but said they'd be back that night. Deeanna didn't mind Kari coming too. In the short time they'd spent constantly together, they'd become closer than they ever had before. And Kari was unwilling to leave Deeanna alone for even for a little while.

Matt treated them all to ice cream, indulging Deeanna's sweet tooth. They sat at a table outside the ice cream stand. Matt watched the two girls dig into the sundae they were sharing, playfully fighting over the cherries, as he sipped his milkshake.

"Mmm, thanks Matt!" Deeanna smiled, eyes closed in the sort of rapture that only comes from vanilla ice cream with dark chocolate syrup, mounds of fluffy whipped cream and marshmallow, crushed peanuts, sprinkles and cherries. And those little crumbled-up cookie things! Those were Deeanna's favorite!

"You're welcome," Matt nodded.

Deeanna stuck a spoonful of sprinkle-studded ice cream in her mouth and let it melt on her tongue. She felt wonderful. It was hard to believe she'd been so sick or in such pain the day before.

That thought led to suspicions about Yolei's disaperance. Deeanna didn't like to judge prematurely, but her dream had been so real. A little too real. She was certain that Yolei had chosen a darker path...

"Deeanna?"

Deeanna blinked at the hand waving in front of her eyes.

"Earth to space cadet. Come in Deeanna," Matt called in a sing-song voice, though there was an undertone of worry.

"Huh?"

"Your expression changed so quickly," Kari said." You looked sad and kind of worried. And then you just spaced out."

"What's wrong?" Matt asked softly. Deeanna wrung a napkin in her hands.

"My dream Matt," she said in a low voice."About Halsemon. I just _know_ it has something to do with why Yolei disapeared. I think it's a warning."

"I know," Matt said, and Kari nodded in agreement."I know that some of us are willing to give her a chance, but Sora and I think Yolei's definately not on our side anymore."

"But did she willingly choose the other side?" Deeanna looked at Matt, chewing her lip."I don't want to be wrong about this. I may not like her that much anymore, and she sure as hell is annoying, but...yeah, I don't want to be wrong."

"I don't think any of us do," Matt said gently.

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Izzy couldn't believe how quickly the quest was progressing. Ken's anger and determination were driving them forwards. The Digital World itself bowed and twisted a clear path for them with few obstacles to slow them down.

"Do you feel that?"

Ken had stopped and was staring straight ahead with a slight scowl on his face. He was rubbing his arms, as if cold. Tai shivered.

"I feel it too," he said warily."What is it?"

"Power," Ken said quietly. He bowed his head, shaking, eyes fierce."I've felt this before, years ago. When I was the Digimon Emperor, I always felt this...this opposing power. It seemed to mock me, because I couldn't conquer it, and it remained free in spite of my efforts. I wanted to crush it, but I couldn't...!"

Tai and Izzy took a step back. Ken looked like his was warring with himself, or some other entity. Ken struggled with it for a minute, whimpering softly, and relaxed. He closed his eyes and smiled a grim little smile.

"But I know what it is. It's the Digimon Guardians. Only they radiate this kind of power," Ken said softly."We aren't far."

"Very good, Digidestined of Kindness!"

All three men froze at the loud, echoing voice that seemed to laugh at them.

"And may I congratulate you on passing the final test?"

There was a blinding white light that forced them to cover their eyes. When they looked again, they were in the middle of an old stone temple. And surrounding them were...

"Sweet bleeding..." Tai started to swear.

"Prodigious," Izzy gulped.

"You!" was all Ken could manage.

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"Uhh..." Deeanna gasped, putting a hand to her head as if in pain.

"Deeanna?!" Matt stood abruptly, knocking over his chair."What is it? What's wrong? Ice cream headache?"

"Ah...it felt like Ken," Deeanna gasped."Like he was fighting himself for a minute or so. He...almost lost control."

"You _felt _that?" Kari was stunned. Deeanna nodded and forced a smile.

"I always have," she replied softly."Ever since the first time our Digimon DNA Digivolved together, when I felt his heart beating with mine."

"Wow," Matt was startled."That's deep. Does this mean he's in trouble?"

"No," Deeanna frowned.She looked tired."The danger has passed. He's alright now."

"Let's get you back home."

Deeanna didn't protest.

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Azulongmon, Ebonwumon, Baihumon, and Zhuquiaomon surrounded the 3 Digidestined.

"What did you mean, I passed the final test?" Ken demanded.

"The final test was if you would recognise the power you felt, and would you, Digidestined of Kindness, resist the urge to conquer it? Resist the old you?" Azulongmon said.

Ken broke out in a cold sweat. He had seen the Digimon Emperor in his mind, tempting him to take over once more, and unleash the last remnant of that twisted, evil person. He had almost lost that struggle, but had managed to banish him for good. He felt on the urge of hyperventilating. Or at the very least, being violently sick on the temple flagstones.

"And you passed," Azulongmon continued."Few do. And still fewer get as far as you did."

"Do you know why we came?" Ken asked boldly.

"Ah, yes," Zhuquiaomon said in an austere manner."You have come to plead for a life. You want us, the Digimon Guardians, to give up a rare and precious Tahirah Flower, to save the life of one Deeanna Ichijouji."

Wordlessly, they nodded.

"No."

"What?!"

Ken looked pleadingly to to the other 3 Guardians, but they remained silent and calm, almost chill. Apparently, Zhuquiaomon was spokes-mon here.

"Tell me, tell us," Zhuquiaomon included his fellow guardians with a sweap of his wing."why we should. Convince us, change our minds. Or the answer you recieve will still be 'No'."

"Please," Tai was shaking. He had just realised how much was riding on this."She helped to save the Digital World! She was the strong one, the shining light when no one else was able. Deeanna doesn't deserve this, she's done nothing wrong!"

"If she dies, Shadow Myotismon's data will be released again, and find its way back to the Digital World. There will be chaos!" Izzy said logically."More will die!"

"The Digital World won't be the same without her. She's the leader of the Digidestined, she's the glue that keeps us all together," Tai added.

The Digmon Guardians looked unmoved.

"She's our friend!" Tai tried again."We can't let this happen to her."

"What say you, Digidestined of Kindness?" Azulongmon asked, not altogether unfeelingly."You've said nothing so far. Tell us why Deeanna should be spared."

Ken had been staring at the floor in utter despair. His eyes had been slowly filling with tears, and now he raised them to meet Azulongmon's.

"Please, give me the Tahirah Flower," the tears began to trickle down his face, but Ken made no move to stop them."Please," it came out like a sob."I have to save her. We all have to. We knew her for a year or two before she had to leave, and now that she's come back...it's not enough time. It's not enough!

She's only 18, and she's going to die! I...I couldn't live with myself if I couldn't save her! If she had to die scared and in pain, with some digital virus eating her from the inside out! It's not fair!" Ken dropped to his knees, and pounded the floor with his fists."Please!"

The Digimon Guardians wavered slightly, looking at each other.

"I _love_ her!" Ken stared wildly at each of the Guardians, eyes wide and full of tears. Tai and Izzy felt sick and helpless as they watched Ken pour his heart out."I love her, and I couldn't bear it! I just couldn't!" Ken sobbed."Please, please don't let her die!"

He felt the Digimon Guardians were still unconvinced. He came to a drastic thought, and decided to act upon it.

"Please," he stood on shaking legs."Give the Tahirah Flower to Tai and Izzy for Deeanna. And let me die in her place!"

"No!" Tai and Izzy yelled.

"Take me instead of her!" Ken demanded."I know you can do it, I know it!"

The Digimon Guardians glanced at each other.

"You would do this?" Ebonwumon asked.

"Yes," Ken answered.

"For her?" Baihumon asked.

"Yes," Ken clenched his fists."Yes!"

"Digidestined of Kindness, close your eyes," Zhuquiaomon sounded so stern...

Ken closed his eyes, shaking, ignoring Tai and Izzy's cries. He had no regrets.

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Matt and Kari had taken Deeanna home, and they were sitting on the couch talking. Deeanna started to shake.

"Please, no..." she whimpered. She felt something strange, a sudden desperation."Ken, no..."

"More trouble?" Kari cried.

Deeanna didn't answer, but began to cry. Matt and Kari put their arms around her. It was all they could do for the sorrowful young woman.

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Ken felt something in his hands. Slowly, he opened his eyes. He was still alive, still in the temple. He looked down. There, shining brilliantly in his hands was a large, pure white flower, whose petals shimmered almost as if with moonlight.

"What...?" he asked, bewildered. He looked at the Digimon Guardians. They seemed more gentle, less harsh and imposing.

"Ken Ichijouji," Azulongmon said gently."You were willing to give up your own life to save Deeanna. That is true kindness. And through offering that sacrifice, one life for another, you have earned the Tahirah Flower."

"Thank you," Ken sobbed gratefully.

"How do we use it?" Izzy asked.

"Let Deeanna drink the essense of the flower when it is boiled into tea," Zhuquiaomon answered."She must drink it all. And then you must wait. It will take many hours, and it will be extremely painful for her, but she will be saved."

"You must not, however, remove the flower from the Digital World," Ebonwumon cautioned.

"It will wither and disapear if it is," Baihumon explained."It was not meant to leave this world."

"Go now," Azulongmon said, and the 3 men suddenly found themselves in a regular part of the Digital World, next to a stream

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By the time the other Digidestined had returned, Deeanna had stopped crying, and was sitting quietly, looking limp and worn. She couldn't explain what had happened, because she didn't fully understand herself. The desperation, the sadness, the utter despair. What had happened to Ken?

The girls sat with Deeanna to comfort her, while the others tried to decide what to do. What if something had happened to Ken, Tai, and Izzy? Should they go after them?

"Oh!" Deeanna suddenly lept up, pulling out her D-Terminal. Her hands shook as she read the message out loud.

"'Deeanna, Mission accomplished. Come to the Digital World right away, and...bring a pot and a mug'," Deeanna almost dropped the D-Terminal.Instead, she dropped to her knees."Bring a pot?! And a mug?!"

"He must have a reason," T.K said, hauling deeanna back up."Come on, let's go!"

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Deeanna burst out of the Digiport and into Ken's arms. They held each other while the others sorted themselves out from the tangle they were in (never having really perfected their landing style).

Tai had started a small fire while they had been waiting for the others to come. He snatched the pot from Matt's feeble grasp (feeble, since Matt was on the bottom of the pile and was being crushed), filled it with water, and set it to boil.

"What's going on?" Deeanna asked, clinging to Ken like a burr.

"We got the flower!" Ken smiled tiredly."You're going to be okay!"

It didn't take long for the water to boil, and the tea to be brewed. Deeanna, cuddled between Ken and Kari, eyed the mug of steaming, fragrant liquid that Tai held out to her. It didn't smell unplesant, but she was still wary.

"Come on, Zhuquiaomon himself said this would cure you," Tai coaxed.

Deeanna took the mug and downed it in a few gulps. Pulling a face, she handed the mug back. Dismayed, she was given another mugful.

"You have to drink it all," Izzy explained.

Mug after mug, Deeanna fought off increasing waves of nausea as she continued to drink, faltering. Her friends and husband coaxed, pleaded, and encouraged her even as it became to difficult to hold the mug herself, which Ken did before she could drop it. Soon, all the tea was gone.

Deeanna slumped weakly between Ken and Kari. She couldn't hold herself up anymore. She heard her friends shouting at her, but it made no sense to her. Then the pain came.

It was a different pain that she'd felt before. But it was still enough to keep her screaming and sobbing, fighting against the hands that held and tried to soothe her..

She didn't understand that this torturous pain was the purity of the Tahirah Flower tea fighting against the vile rotting of the virus. She didn't understand that it was helping, or that her friends were trying to help, too. All she knew and understood was the burning acid in her veins, the explosions of agony in her fevered mind, the inferno of flames in her torso.

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Ken felt helpless. As the hours dragged on, all he could so was try to hold Deeanna as she moaned and writhed, or screamed and cried incoherently from the pain. They were both exausted and sweat soaked. The Digimon had ran and hid in the bushes, afraid of what had been happening. They cautiously peeked out.

But Deeanna was starting to calm. The screams came less frequently. Finally, they stopped altogether, and Deeanna seemed to slip into an easier sleep.

"Is it over?" Cody whispered. The last few hours had been horrifying to him.

"I think so," Ken replied cautiously. Aside from the occasional twitch or whimper, Deeanna seemed to be okay. Ken gathered her up in his arms.

"Let's go home, sweetheart," he whispered in her ear.

No one noticed that they were being watched, or the figure that quickly ran away.

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Deeanna opened her eyes, blinking at the sunlight that was directly in her eyes.

"Eh?" she mumbled, noticing that she was tucked up snuggly in bed beside Ken, who seemed to be asleep. Wormmon slept soundly with Demiveemon in the little basket bed.

"Must be dreaming..." she sighed, and rolled over to go back to sleep. In doing this, she came face to face with Ken, who wasn't asleep after all.

"You're awake!" Ken sat bolt upright, and caught Deeanna up in his arms."You've been out for over a day!"

"I have?" Deeanna was confused."It's been that long?"

"Yeah," Ken nodded.

"Wow," Deeanna mumbled. She pulled away from Ken, intending to look at the clock, and winced as the movement irritated her sore diaphragm.

"Hurts?" Ken asked. Deeanna nodded."I shouldn't wonder. With all the screaming you did, not to mention whatever that tea did to the virus, I'd be surprised if it _didn't_ hurt!"

Tenderly, Ken tucked Deeanna back in under the comforter, and fluffed up her pillows.

"Stay in bed, darling," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead."You need to get your strength back. That cure took a lot out of you. I'll go make you some breakfast."

"Yay!" Deeanna cheered. Ken laughed and left the room, leaving Deeanna to her thoughts.

Her first thought was that she felt different, normal. Was she really cured? Truly? Happy tears welled up in her lovely brown eyes. The absense of lingering pain and fear was almost startling.

Her next thought was that she and Ken were going to have a nice, long talk. Where did he get off, frightening her like that? But then...Ken didn't know about that subtle bond, did he? Probably not. And if she had it out with him, then he'd probably find out about just how ill she'd been while he was away, and then Ken would yell, and she would yell, and they'd probably end up making up by...

Deeanna grinned, and squirmed delightedly under the comforter, interupting her run-on thoughts. It felt so good to be well. So _good_ to be alive!

"It's good to see you looking happy again!"

Deeanna looked up as the cheerful voice rang out. Tai was leaning cockily in the doorway, with Matt peering over his shoulder.

"Tai! Matt!" she cried. The two men perched one on each side of her.

"You look 110 better already," Tai greeted, before he was grabbed about the middle and squeezed in a newly strengthened grip that made him gasp.

"Oh, thank you for what you did, Tai!" Deeanna cried happily. Tai mussed up her already bed-tussled hair.

"Anything for you," Tai grinned.

"Um..." Deeanna tilted her head curiously."but...why are you here?"

"Well, believe it or not," and Tai looked slightly embarassed."when we got back, Ken, Izzy, and I slept as long as you did, so we never really left. That quest really took it out of us, and Izzy said that humans weren't meant to walk that path, or something like that."

"And the rest of us stayed to look after you all, and we didn't want to go until you were up and feeling better, either," Matt explained."Everyone else is out in the living room."

Deeanna laughed to herself. Was she doomed to be constantly under watch? And, of course, this meant no fight between her and Ken, and no steamy kiss-and-make-up, either. Drat.

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Deeanna had the luxery of a private breakfast with Ken, and a post-breakfast nap. When she got up, she was alone. She could hear voices in the living room, so she decided to make herself presentable.

A quick shower later, Deeanna was dressed in old comfortable jeans and a tank top, and had tied her hair up in short, spikey pigtails. She was applying a little gloss when DemiVeemon wandered in munching a granola bar. He mumbled a greeting around his mouthful. Deeanna scooped him up and knicked the last of his bar.

"What can I say," she shrugged when her Digimon glared tearfully in protest over the loss of his snack."I have my normal appitite back, pal."

DemiVeemon's expression softened.

"I'm glad you're better, Davish."

"Thanks, buddy," Deeanna smiled."Listen, I have to talk to Ken."

"Aboui what?" DemiVeemon's curiousity was peaked.

"You'll see," Deeanna replied, standing."C'mon."

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Everyone looked up as Deeanna entered the living room. Ken stood up, nearly spilling the cup of coffee he was holding.

"Deeanna!" he cried."Are you sure you should be up?"

"I feel fine," Deeanna replied. She certainly looked fine. The dark circles and lines of fatigue and pain were gone, replaced by smooth, luminous skin. She looked like any other normal young woman. If Deeanna could be classified as normal by any standards.

She allowed Ken to lead her to the couch, and they sat. Everyone else began to babble questions at her about her well being, or exclaimations of joy over her recovery from certain death. She endured this with goodnatured exasperation.

"Now, what was everyone talking about before I came out here?" she asked.

Everyone fell silent.

"Oh..." Sora murmered uncomfortably."We were just telling Ken about Yolei's disapearance."

Deeanna's face fell.

"I see," she said softly.

"It'll be okay," Ken put his arm around his wife."We'll get her back if she's been kidnapped. And if not, and she's switched sides, I won't let her hurt you."

Deeanna closed her eyes and clenched her fists and teeth. She could care less about being protected right now. She could see no other way to tell him, but to blurt it right out. He had to know!

"Ken, I have to tell-" Deeanna started to say desperately, when everyone's D-Terminal's began to beep. Disapointed, Deeanna reached for hers from the coffee table.

Everyone had recieved the same message.

_'Dear Digiestined,_

_Don't feel too cocky that you've saved Deeanna. How do I know this? News travels fast in the Digital World. Don't think your troubles are over yet, because you have yet to see how much trouble I can really cause!_

_I suppose you've noticed by now that your precious Digidestined of Love and Sincerity is now missing. If you do not wish her to come to harm, I suggest you meet me at the following co-ordinates.'_

Aside from the co-ordinates, that was all the message said. It wasn't signed at all.

"Maybe we were wrong," Sora whispered to Matt.

Deeanna's heart sank. How could she have been wrong about something she thought she'd had right? It still felt as though she was right about Yolei, but how could she say so now?

"We'd better go, then," she said flatly."If she needs us, who are we to abandon a fellow Digidestined in her time of need?"

"Are you sure?" Ken asked quietly.

"I don't like it!" Deeanna snapped."And not just because it looks like an _obvious_ trap! I still don't think she was kidnapped. I think she went of her own free will! But I really can't judge her, now can I?"

"Deeanna-"

"Shut up!" Deeanna snarled at Ken. Everyone stared, then looked at each other."Everyone deserves the benefit of a doubt. I was willing to give you a chance, Ken, when everyone else thought you were pure evil. No matter what I think right now, what my heart tells me, or what my personal feelings are, this is no different!"

She glared at everyone. They began to sweat bullets.

"We're going to go, and we're going to be careful. If it is a trap, we'll pull back. If it's not, then we'll fight and we'll win!"

"So?" she snapped, her eyes burning. She pointed stiffly to the computer."_Hop to it!_ **NOW!**"

Tai resisted the ridiculous urge to salute as he and the others made a mad scramble to the computer to open a Digiport. He'd never seen his successor this angry, or this...effective. Skillful. Angry. He was proud.

Deeanna took a deep breath and forcefully let it out. She didn't want to be doing this. She knew something was off, but one didn't abandon another in their time of need. The others hadn't abandoned her, so why should she start? She would just tell Ken later.

Before she followed the others, she pulled her goggles, her lucky talisman, out of her purse and put them on.


	14. A Taste of Bitter Irony

Wow. I can't believe what a roll I'm on. This story might be finished before I originally predicted. Just one more chapter to go, after this confection of **bitter irony** (I hope you all understand what I mean by that). And I hope everyone enjoys reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. Well, most of it. It's been really hard causing pain to a character that I've nurtured for so long.

Now...I'll answer Kara's question(s): No, Ken isn't sick now. He just felt sick because he was relieved. And yes, I remember you 8 )

Now, on with the chapter! Read and enjoy, and don't worry: You have to have a little rain, before you get a rainbow.

Diclaimer: Insert here, I'm too tired to write one.

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The Digidestined ended up in a forest. That same forest that Yolei and Hawkmon had been in. The dark, evil chill that had first been there had increased in strength, and getting worse with each passing minute. It was almost painful to feel. Having felt true evil before, Kari, Ken, and Deeanna were most affected by the pain.

"We can't stay here," Deeanna gasped. She pulled out her D-3."Yolei's just ahead. Come on!"

They made their way through the forest, guided by the increasingly stronger signal of their missing teammate, hoping that they had been wrong.

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"Our guests have arrived in the Digital World," DarkPalmon informed Yolei, his red eyes glimmering with manic glee.

"Then by all means, show them the way," Yolei replied with a nod."And don't be slow. Halsemon and I are eager to greet them. Aren't we, pet?"

Halsemon nodded slowly and stood, stretching magestically. Yolei laughed, cold and unplesant.

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"No, not here!"

They had found their way out of that cold, empty forest, onto the dead, grey plain, and were now viewing a scene out of their worst nightmare. Deeanna had taken one look and had nearly collapsed. She had the right. Memories and nightmares flooded her mind with utter chaos. She shook herself to try and gain some composure; she just barely managed it.

"Deeanna?" Tai asked his trembling successor.

"Well, if it has to be here, then there's nothing we can do about it, right?" Deeanna finally said, acceptingly. She turned her head slightly at a faint whistling sound, and was recoiled by the impact of a vine striking her cheek. She was knocked into Ken with a cry of pain and shock.

"Ow!" she winced, fingering the shallow but painful wound the vine had made. Blood bagan to seep out slowly.

"Who's out there?" Ken demanded, righting his wife. A peel of grating, evil laughter met their ears. Deeanna recognised it, and saw red.

"Show yourself, twerp!" she yelled furiously.

"Who...?" Matt started to ask.

"DarkPalmon," Deeanna explained quietly."This is his territory, his home. He knows the lay of the land better than we do, and he can strike at any time if his wishes!"

"Let's not give him another chance to strike, then!" Veemon said, putting up his little fists in determination. The younger Digidestined smiled encouragingly.

The Digimon that could Armour Digivolve did so. Wormmon became Stingmon, and Gabumon became Garurumon. It was decided that the other Digimon would be too big to move quickly and steathily, so they all doubled up on the available Digimon.

"We have to reach that fortress," Raidramon growled to the other Digimon."Let's go!"

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Yolei watched their progress from a window in the throne room haughtily. She had eyes only for the tall man with Stingmon. Pocessive eyes, at that. Those eyes darted to the woman in the lead, and they turned hateful.

"You couldn't have made it easier on yourself, Deeanna, hmm? If you had just given up and died, all of this would have been easier," Yolei sneered, banging her palm down on the stone window sill. Sensing someone watching her, she turned.

"Oh, Halsemon," she sighed lovingly. That one tone she used for him and him alone was filled with the last positive emotion she pocessed."There you are. You know what to do, pet. Go on."

Wordlessly, Halsemon turned and left the room. Fondly, Yolei watched him go. When he was gone, her eyes turned cold as ice once more. Stalking across the room, she sat down on her throne to wait.

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11 angry Digidestined burst into the fortress, expecting a fight, but were sorely disapointed.

"What is this?!" Ken demanded, looking around at the echoingly empty chamber they stood in.

"It doesn't feel right," Deeanna said so quietly that only Raidramon heard her. He looked up at her worriedly.

They all looked at the stairs as they heard screams of terror and pain. Wordlessly, Deeanna nodded in the general direction of the stairs, and they cautiously made their way up, all tense and nervous. What were they going to find? Was Yolei alright? When they had reached the top of the stairs, they were faced with one large door.

"In for a penny..." Deeanna said mirthlessly under her breath and gave Raidramon a nudge.

"Thunder Blast!"

The door was reduced to smoking ruins within seconds.

"Sometimes, you have to use the direct approach," Raidramon rumbled, stepping through what was left of the door. The others quickly followed.

The scene that met their eyes was Yolei, wrapped in DarkPalmon's vines, squirming in a futile effort to get away from the ever tightening vines. Deeanna didn't know what to make of this. Her heart warred with what her eyes saw, until she noticed a few things.

Yolei fearful expression didn't reach her eyes, which were black and faintly, very faintly, glowing. She saw the pendant, which didn't look like some harmless trinket, was also glowing. The vines that appeared to be squeezing Yolei and holding her hostage didn't actually seem to be all together that tight. Deeanna certainly didn't miss the small wink passed between Yolei and DarkPalmon when Yolei turned her head slightly, as if gasping in pain.

A few of the others started to press forwards, but Deeanna stuck out her arm as if to stop them. They desisted. They trusted Deeanna's judgement in this, and if she said not too, they wouldn't make a move until she did.

"So, you've finally come to claim what's yours?" DarkPalmon hissed.

"If she still is," Deeanna said, very blandly. DarkPalmon ignored this comment.

"Oh, please, please help!" Yolei sobbed."You don't know what it's been like, being trapped here!"

"Why did he take you?" Ken asked.

"I don't know!" Yolei continued to sob pitifully. Deeanna wrinkled her nose in disgust. She saw straight through this, and so did Ken.

"I think you do," Deeanna said stiffly. Yolei stopped in the middle of a sob.

"What?" she sniffled.

"You heard what I said," Deeanna continued."I can see through your _bad_ acting like it's plastic wrap."

Yolei could see that she wasn't fooling Deeanna, or Ken, and definately not the two people she thought would defend her, Sora and Mimi. The others were clearly staying out of ths. She decided to attack the Digidestined's trust in Deeanna.

"You mean, hateful woman!" Yolei cried."Just because I've done a _few_ mean things to you, you don't trust me? You're spiteful! and jealous! You're going to stand there and question why I was captured and not help me because you're bitter and cruel!"

This passionate speach had the opposite effect.

"That's enough, Yolei!" Ken barked. Yolei blanched at his fierce tone.

"Yolei, look at yourself!" Sora admonished. She hadn't missed the little things that Deeanna had noticed."Listen to what you're saying! Deeanna may not like you for the things you've said and done, but she's not mean, and she doesn't hate you! Deeanna can't hate, there's too much love in her to really hate."

Yolei recoiled at her former mentor's words.

"You've abused the Crest of Love so badly, you don't know what love is anymore, only hate! If anyone is spiteful and jealous, it's you!"Sora continued with a snarl."I'm embarassed by your behaviour!"

"You've told nothing but lies!" Mimi was scornful."You've mistreated the Crest of Sincerity. You don't deserve it anymore!"

"You'll pay for your words!" Yolei dropped the 'Pity me' act, and all facades of being a prisoner, losing control."Attack!"

Deeanna hissed at her stupidity. they hadn't attacked, they'd kept their cool and their distance, and _still_ they'd walked blindly into a trap! Everyone huddled closely together, as Dark Digimon swarmed into the spacious throne room. She saw only one way to deal with this.

"Retreat to the ground level!" Deeanna yelled."We'll be able to fight better if we can get outside!"

It was a difficult struggle to get down the stairs in one piece, dodging attacks and trying to keep hold of their Digimon partners. As soon as they were outside, the Digimon that hadn't already Digivolved did so. Deeanna was the last to cross the ground floor entry chamber.

"Dark Tempest Wing!"

She screamed in fright as she was thrown from Raidramon's back. Raidramon had been flung out the doors and was laying in an unconcious heap. Deeanna ran for the door, but it was blocked by vines. She broke out in a cold sweat. All of the windows and doors were blocked, just like in her dream!

It hadn't been _just_ a dream. It had been a _warning_! Throat too dry to swallow, Deeanna turned to what she knew was an inevitability, and stepped back. Halsemon advanced on her, his talons crushing the flagstones as easily as if they were made of rice crackers. He screeched warningly at her, and lept.

Deeanna tripped and fell. She could see there was no way to avoid this. She put up her arm to protect her face, though it seemed pretty ridiculous. There was no way she'd survive the impact. She could hear Yolei's maniacal laughter of triumph, and was vaguely annoyed that that was going to be the last thing she ever heard, when...

"Spiking Strike!"

"Thunder Blast!"

Shocked stiff, Deeanna looked up. Standing protectively over her were Stingmon and a groggy but fierce Raidramon, who had broken through the vines. They hadn't attacked to kill but to deter. Halsemon was crumpled halfway across the chamber, but was slowly picking himself up. Yolei was spluttering with fury.

Shakily, Deeanna brushed off Ken's exclaimations of worry and fear, and pulled herself painfully to Raidramon's back. The two Digimon and humans rushed away as fast as they could manage, not want to stick around to face the combined wrath of Yolei and halsemon when they finally gathered their wits.

"The others moved the battle to the forest!" Ken shouted. Deeanna nodded painfully. She was bruised and scraped, and the cut on her cheek stung like hell's fury. they headed for the forest.

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All was confusion. Many of the Dark Digimon had already been defeated, not being as powerful as they looked, or had retreated. DarkPalmon, however, was still a major problem. He _was_ powerful; more powerful than he looked.

"Thunder Blast!" Raidramon snarled. DarkPalmon dodged the attack.

"Living Vine!"

They had never come across this attack before, and the Digidestined and Digimon were stumped. But it soon became very clear just what this attack was and did.

DarkPalmon thrust his vines into the ground, deeply, and was able to take control of any vine or root that grow within the imediate area. These he used as an extension of himself, and he could attack more than one Digimon at a time. This, they could see, was going to be a problem. But not as big a problem as what happened next.

"Deeanna!" Ken cried out a warning, but it was too little, too late.

Deeanna's hands were snared by vines that hung from trees on either side of her. Roots and tree shoots caught her feet. vines captured Raidranmon like chains. Furious, he struggled to free himself and come to his partner's aid. Snarling and thrashing, he could not break the vines. The others tried to get to Deeanna, tried to help free her, but were kept at bay by the living vines.

"We have to break DarkPalmon's connection to the ground!" Izzy yelled for all to hear."Get his vines out of the soil, and the vines will stop!"

Deeanna was furious at having been caught like that. She struggled and tugged, pulled and strained, but the vines just got tighter. She thought one of her feet was slightly looser from the effort she gave, but it was still slightly stuck. She decided that shee was just going to have to try harder.

"Give give up, everyone!" she called encouragingly."Just concentrate on uprooting that twerp, I'll be okay for now!"

Though extremely worried, Ken nodded, and the fight continued, this time with renewed vigor.

"Spiking Strike!" Stingmon attacked, but was deflected by a vine that whipped him back against Digmon.

"Sorry about that," he appologized.

"No problem," Digmon grunted, trying to right himself. Nefertimon and Pegasusmon tried to attack together.

"Rosetta Stone!"

"Star Shower!"

All for nought. They destroyed some vines, but none of the attacks could reach DarkPalmon.

"You'll have to go at it all together!" Deeanna called out."Don't let the vines stop you! Figure it out, then attack with all you've got!"

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Yolei and Halsemon arrived to watch the battle. It was so amusing, the pitiful efforts they were giving. All for nothing. Nothing could get through DarkPalmon's Living Vine. She laughed viciously, then strutted over to the still struggling Deeanna and Raidramon.

"_Poor_ Deeanna," she purred condescendingly, patting the furious captive on the head rather forcefully. Deeanna bit her hand. Yolei snatched it back.

"Ooh, careful!" Yolei sneered."You don't know where that's been!"

She backhanded Deeanna roughly. Raidramon shrieked and snarled, almost foaming at the mouth, seeing this...this..._betrayer_ handle his partner so cruelly. Halsemon cuffed Raidramon, viously raking the thunder Digimon with his talons.

"What?" Yolei pouted."No smart reply?"

Deeanna growled with disgust and effort. Her foot was nearly free...Yolei didn't notice, and continued to pace in front of Deeanna.

"Bet you wish you'd died by now, hmmm?"

_No, actually,_ Deeanna thought. _Not at all. Quit taunting me, witch, though I suppose that's all the more reason to kick your ass when I get loose!_

Her foot slipped free, and she pulled it back to kick Yolei like she was a soccer ball, then froze at what she saw.

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The fight wasn't going well. The Digimon couldn't get enough time to group together for an attack, and were being severely beaten. Stingmon bashed a vine away from him, giving them an opportunity to attack, which they took. No one realised that Stingmon had changed the vine's direction, not stopped it, and that it kept going.

Straight for Yolei.

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Yolei didn't suspect.

Though she knew in her heart that Yolei was evil, and that she might never be changed back to good, Deeanna _knew_ that no Digidestined should die. She made up her mind what she was going to do in a split second. She kicked Yolei, knocking her to the ground, just in time to be hit herself.

Gasping at the sudden agony she felt, Deeanna looked down at the vine that had gone right through her chest, just as the others had succeeded in uprooting DarkPalmon.

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Ken had turned at that moment to shout victoriously to Deeanna, but his voice died in his throat.

"_No_!" he whispered, seeing Deeanna sag.

The roots and tree shoots disapeared, but the tight vines from the trees that had held her upright remained. Deeanna would have collapsed if it hadn't been for those vines.

"Deeanna, no!" He yelled.

Everyone turned and gasped in horror. Raidramon was howling in anger because he hadn't been able to protect Deeanna. He lost his Digivolution as Deeanna's hold on life began to loosen, and became Veemon, lying in a tangle of vines.

Ken ran to his wife and held out his hands slowly, unable to bring himself to move her. Stingmon set her free, and she collapsed into Ken's arms.

"Ken!" Deeanna's voice came out as a pained choke. Her eyes were wide with pain and shock. She coughed a mouthful of blood that splashed onto Ken's shirt. Crowding around, the other Digidestined recoiled tearfully.

"Oh, Deeanna..." Ken's eyes were filled with tears that threatened to spill at any moment. Deeanna managed a painfully smile, trying to be brave. Under the circumstances, she did the Crest of Courage proud.

"It doesn't hurt too much," she winced. No one noticed of the tiny fragments that were starting to float away from her body.

"Oh God!" Ken sobbed.

"Ken, I-" Deeanna tried to tell him. She knew what was going to happen. She didn't want to die before she told Ken, even if that made him sadder than ever that two lives were lost, instead of one. the fragments quickened.

"Dee!" Veemon cried. He'd seen what was happening. He was sad, and furious. He wanted to take it out on someone, or something. And then he saw Halsemon.

Ken was shaking violently as he held Deeanna. He couldn't believe that this was happening. Just like what he'd seen in that forest!

"Not now, not like _this_!" he whispered. Deeanna weakly laid he head against Ken's chest. She could hear the frantic beating of his heart.

The others didn't know what to do. Tai and Matt clenched their fists helplessly, while Joe and Izzy tearfully tried to think of something, _anything_ that would save Deeanna. T.K and Kari held each other, while Sora and Mimi tried to comfort an inconsolable Cody. Yolei just sat, struck dumb that Deeanna had saved her.

Ken leaned down to kiss Deeanna, knowing this was the last time he'd be able to. Their lips met, the kiss deepened. And then...she was gone. All that remained were the bloody vines.

"No!" Ken sobbed, pounding her fists on the ground."No, no, no, no, _NO_!"

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While the Digidestined and Digimon tried to clumsily comfort and support Ken, Veemon was slowly stomping over to Halsemon.

"Vee Headbutt!" he screamed, smashing into the bigger and stronger Digimon.

"Veemon!" Kari cried, seeing the brave little Digimon go beserk."Stop, come back! you'll get hurt!"

"I don't care!" Veemon screamed. He attacked with all his heart and his might, anger fueling his strength.

He didn't care. Not when his attacks were next to useless and all in vain. Not when Halsemon beat him almost senseless. Not when he was almost certain that he couldn't get up again. He just didn't care.

"Dark Tempest Wing!" Halsemon roared, striking the valiant little Digimon and deleting him instantly. The silence that followed was broken only by Ken's sobs of anguish and loss.


	15. Small Miracles

I figure that since it's already written, there's no use in with-holding the last chapter from you (I spoil you all, you know) I wasn't expecting everyone to be _that_ upset about Dee and Veemon's untimely demise. I hope this fixes everything. I'd already planned this when i first started writing this story, you know.

I'd noticed several mistakes I'd made in the previous chapter (spelling wise) I hadn't seen them, which I'm ashamed of, since I didn't want to admit that my eyes have gotten worse.

Anyway, here it is, the final chapter, soon to be followed by 'Vee's VERY bad Day' and 'Uh Oh: The New Generation'. Hope you all enjoy this

Disclaimer: I have not, or will not, ever own Digimon or anything having to do with it. I just like to write about it. So please don't sue. All I have is is a fiver and some pennies and a pocket full of lint.

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_Am I dead?_

It was odd. She thought the pain would be gone when she died.

_Why do I still hurt?_

Deeanna opened her eyes, blinking in the dimness of what appeared to be torchlight. It became quite obvious to her that perhaps she wasn't dead after all. She saw a vaulted stone ceiling above her. Startled, she sat up and felt herself for wounds. She found none, but her body still ached badly.

Glancing around her out of curiousity, she saw Veemon. Poor, dear, courageous Veemon, lying so still and so quiet, bruised and beaten. Gasping, Deeanna crawled over to him, and gently cradled his little body.

"Veemon, please wake up!" she whispered. There was no response."Vee? Please?"

Deeanna felt cold and empty. Maybe she was dead. Was Veemon? Where were they? Was she stuck here forever, with the constant reminder that was Veemon's body?

"Well, this is _fricking great_!" she exclaimed out loud.

"Indeed!" a voice chuckled behind her. Startled, Deeanna scooted back and bumped into a wall, whacking her head off the stone. Azulongmon she recognised, but who were these other Digimon?!

"She's frightened," the tiger purred softly, compassionately.

"Of course I am!" Deeanna snapped."I don't know where I am, or what's wrong with Veemon, and I don't know if I'm dead or not!"

"No, you're not dead," Azulongmon explained gently."Not yet. We've intervened on your behalf, you and Veemon."

"What do you mean?"

"It wasn't your time to go," Azulongmon explained."You carry within you a life not yet born, an innocent life that has not yet had a chance to live and experience the world. You, Deeanna, still have plenty of life left to live, you and the child you carry. But only if you wish to."

"More than anything," Deeanna answered truthfully."But...what about Veemon?"

"You were close, were you not?"

"Yes," Deeanna admitted.

"He is a courageous Digimon, who fought long hard battles, and gave his all in an attempt to save you. He did not want to exist without you, and died to avenge you. And while we don't condone vengeance, we were impressed with his loyalty and valiance. He, too, may have his life back."

Deeanna found herself holding a warm little Digiegg. She held it close, and cried one little tear of joy.

"Oh-!" she gasped joyfully."Thank you! Thank you!"

"But, there is another issue to address, before you return to the plain of the living," the phoenix cautioned.

"Oh, what?" Deeanna was confused.

"There are two personalities within your being. Deeanna, and Davis."

"Oh, yeah," Deeanna said."Him. I mean, me. I am still him, sort of, aren't I?"

"Yes, and no," the phoenix replied.

"Deeanna, when you became as you are, you became as a separate being. Davis still exists within you," Azulongmon explained."Within your body."

"How is that an issue?"

"Not so much an issue as it is a possibly a gift, depending on how you view it," Azulongmon said kindly."Because you are human, and died here, part of your data was replaced by digital matter-"

"Does that mean I'm not human anymore?!" Deeanna cried.

"No no, not at all. You're still very much a human. But the data you recieved will give you the ability to change, like when a Digimon Digivolves. When we send you back, whole and well, you will find that you will be able to change between Deeanna and Davis at will, though it may take time and practice to control."

"You mean I could just suddenly change, at any time?"

"In theory, yes."

Deeanna was speechless. The Digiegg in her hands glowed softly.

"There is such a gift for Veemon, too, but that will be discovered when he is ready for it."

"Thank you!" Deeanna squeezed her eyes shut against the happy tears, hugging the little egg to her chest.

"Go now, and good luck."

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Ken had cried all his tears, and now he was grieving silently. The others had given him his space, and as night fell, fallen into smaller groups to give comfort where it was needed. Yolei slunk up behind Ken, and put her arms around him. He tried to shrug her touch off, but she persisted.

"I'm sorry that had to happen, Ken," she said.

"She died trying to save _you_!" Ken said fiercely, swiping at his eyes.

"Yes, she did, and it's just awful, but maybe it's for the best," Yolei smiled.

"What are you talking about?" Ken pulled away and stared at Yolei incredulously.

"Well now," Yolei's smile deepened as she gripped his hands in a tight, painful grasp."We can finally be togther, as Emperor and Empress!"

Yolei's last hold of sanity had snapped.

"You're out of your mind!" Ken cried.

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That was the first thing Deeanna heard, when she found herself suddenly back in the forest, holding the little glowing Digiegg, standing under a tree that began to blossom with brilliant white petals, growing strong and healthy once more. The night air was filled with petals.

Deeanna was amazed by the tree, but she was very upset to see Yolei pawing at her husband like he was a piece of meat!

"Get your mitts off of my man!" she shouted. That certainly attracted a lot of attention.

"You!" Yolei shrieked.

"Yes, me," Deeanna answered blandly, arching an eyebrow at her foe.

"You're supposed to be dead!"

"I'm harder to kill than you think," Deeanna said icily."I suggest you leave, before I really get mad."

Something in her tone, her manner...something about this tall, goggled woman dressed in an off-white ruched babydoll and blue denim capri's, holding a glowing Digiegg in the middle of a veritable storm of white petals in the moonlight. Maybe it was the look in her eyes, or something else about her that was indescribable. But something about her made Yolei turn and flee with Halsemon.

Deeanna dropped to her knees, hugging the egg. The others were almost afraid to approach her. Was it really her? This woman who looked so much like their friend, this woman who was breathing heavily, eyes closed, and trembling?

Ken stood and slowly stumbled to her. Deeanna opened her eyes. Wordlessly, Ken kneeled in front of her, and looked into her bright brown eyes.

"It _is_ you!" he cried softly."But how?"

"I met your friends," she said gently."Very nice Digimon. They let me come back-"

She didn't get any further before her lips were crushed against his in a kiss of passion, that desperate for reassurance. Then, a funny thing happened. Perhaps it was triggered by a small tendril of thought from the 'Davis' part of her mind, which was very excited. Whatever it was, it was a real shock...

Ken didn't feel a thing. When he opened his eyes and pulled away, the brown eyes in front of him were the same. The rest was most definately **not**.

Spikey auburn hair, goggles, white shit and torn blue jeans, this was...

"_DAVIS!_"

Davis winced at the shout that came from everyone at once, before he was hauled up and shook by Tai. He almost lost hold of the precious egg.

"Oh my God!" Tai was screaming."You can't be _you_!"

"Says who?" Davis muttered."Blame Azulongmon and comapny."

"What have they got to do with this?" Tai dropped Davis in shock.

"They're the ones who let me live, and sent me and Veemon back," Davis explained, holding up the egg."They said I could change back and forth if I wanted to, 'cause something happened to my data. I didn't think it would be so spontanious, though."

He wriggled a bit. It felt weird, being back in this skin. And slightly uncomfortable. Sweat broke out on his brow. Just as quickly as he'd changed into Davis, he was Deeanna again. She rocked slightly; it had felt unplesant.

"Somebody wanna explain all this?" T.K asked after the initial shock wore off.

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"...And that's the way it is," Deeanna finished explaining, excluding some details.

Once it all sank in, the Digidestined were happy to have their precious friend back, whether she/he was Deeanna or Davis. Ken remained silent, eyes wide and shocked.

"Ken?" Deeanna asked worriedly."Are you mad? Please say you're not mad?"

"Mad?" Ken looked up, startled. He started to grin slowly and happily."How could I be mad at you? I love you. I'm just happy to have both my wife _and_ my best friend back!"

He threw his arms around her and pulled her into a big bear hug.

"Awww," the girls cooed.

Deeanna grinned at them wryly, and was about to say something but then looked down. The egg was rocking in her hands. It cracked open and Chicomon hopped out.

"Deeanna!" he chirped."You're okay!"

"Better than okay, little buddy," she smiled."But...I want to go home."

Ken jumped up quickly.

"Of course," he said, helping his wife to her feet."And I'm sure we all want to go home too, right?"

The reply was unanimous.

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It was late at night. Hungry after the fight, the Digidestined had all had a celebratory dinner at Ken and Deeanna's; Tai had splurged and ordered pizza for all. While they were sad that Yolei was no longer on their side, they were thrilled that Deeanna (and Davis) were back, alive and well. Deeanna hadn't said a word about the child to Ken yet. She knew now the right time would be when they were alone.

Ken came up behind Deeanna in the bedroom, and kissed the back of her neck.

"It's good to have you back," he whispered. The short time that she'd been dead had lasted a grief-filled eternity for him.

"Ken" Deeanna hesitated.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Ken asked, concerned.

"Well, you know how there are four of us living here?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Next year there'll be five."

Deeanna looked down as Ken fell to the floor in shock. At least he was concious and sitting up...

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1 and 2/3 years later:

Laughter filled the air in the Odaiba park on a warm day in May. While they still battled on continuously against Yolei, today was a happy day of rest and celebration. The Digidestined were having a picnic and party. Balloons and streamers decorated the trees, and several blankets and picnic baskets were strewn under a shady tree. Digimon and partners laughed and played.

Deeanna and Ken sat on a large blanket with Vee, who was sprawled out, reading a manga. Deeanna held Sammy in her arms, who was playing with a new toy teddy bear. He threw it and it bonked off Vee's head. A little Chicomon bounced and giggled with glee.

"Ow! Sign that kid up for baseball lessons already, would ya?" Vee said, rubbing his long, spikey blue hair. Sunlight glittered off the gold 'V' on his forehead.

"Clever boy!" Ken grinned at Sammy, who giggled and waved his little hands.

"The cake's here!" Mimi announced, walking down the path with a tray. It was chocolate with vanilla frosting and strawberries, which she'd made herself, and was very proud of it. She was nearly knocked down by a stampede of hungry Digimon, who'd been waiting for cake. She set it down in front of Sammy and Deeanna, and lit the 1 shaped candle.

"Happy Birthday, Sammy!" the Digidestined and Digimon cried.

"Blow, Sammy," Deeanna cooed. Sammy giggled. His mother lightly pressed inwards on his cheeks with thumb and index finger."Come on, sweetie, blow!"

Strong little Sammy settled for smacking the cake with his hand, showering Ken, Deeanna, Vee and Chicomon with frosting and berries. Everyone laughed.

"This is going in my album for sure!" Kari laughed, snapping a picture.

"Uh oh!" Deeanna sighed good naturedly.


End file.
